Not :One: of Us
by XKey of the AbyssX
Summary: The pursuit of power and salvation brought upon us tragedy. But from tragedy, miracles can be born. It was from one that these two were born. Sustained by the Order that created them, they have powers within them unknown to the world. One with enough to overthrow their creators. Be aware, Black Order, for your own creations will be the death of you. KandaxOC
1. Retrace 0

**Yes people, this is yet another fic with an OC in it so if you don't like, don't read. **

**On the other hand, for the people that do know me and like my stories, they know that I tend to suck at the first OCs but get better as it goes on. The proof? Read Wondering Dusk:Renown Dawn. That's a story I had to go over about five times before getting my plot straight. **

**Well this one is an improved version of Abyssmal Innocence which means I'll be erasing that one. But don't worry, this one will have a similar concept but some major changes in the plot and the names. Specially the names. -w-, **

**In any case this, in my opinion, is a rather improved plot of what I was trying to do in AI. The subject I had in mind for the whole concept was good but the beginning of that story seemed rather slow and the Innocence shape repetative. So instead I'm doing this and with this more condensed intro. It'll be brief and mystery giving leaving loophole to think about. **

**My readers know I love OC pairings. This is therefore no exception. This OC will be paired with...Ta~da! Kanda Yu! Finally one of the two I've wanted to do as a main couple (the other being Tyki). This is going to be hard since I have no idea how to write a semi-romantic and semi-adventure story with a guy who's an asshole half of the time and a major angst the other half (coughalmakarmacough). ANYWAY, this is will be a challenging one since I might accidentally give him a bit of an OOC-ness atmosphere. If I do, PLEASE tell me so I can find a way to fix it fast. **

**Mmmh, I guess that's good nuff of an explanation. Alright then I'll leave you guys to the summary and then to the main event. Enjoy~ :D**

**Summary: When a tragedy occurred one sought a miracle out of it. From that 'miracle' these two were born with exemplary expectations. When the Order attempts to extract these miracles from the creator's hands he liberates them to a full on attack towards them. One survived while the other was lost to darkness. The surviving one escapes persecution for years until one fateful night the strangest Father picks the child from the streets. But when this miracle cannot do what she was born to accomplish, pressure is put for her to act according to their bidding. Will the help of Allen and the others beat the overwhelming noise of the soldier that the miracle was suppose to be? Or will the noise take over her and crush her will. **

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><p><strong>Retrace Zero: Abominations<strong>

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><p>Footsteps ran fast through the halls the North American Branch of the Black Order. The man entered the room almost throwing the door off it's hinges. His short bleached hair seemingly white was disheveled and his amethyst eyes were wide at seeing the empty room. Only one of his brother-in-law's subordinates remained cleaning.<p>

"Where's she?" he asked straight forth in a very menacing tone.

"Dr. Marcus took her to the operating room." The scared pawn only gulped in fear of one of the top Exorcists of the North American Branch. "He couldn't wait any longer."

The man didn't wait for any other word and headed straight for hospital wing. He was panting and mad but couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop until seeing with his two eyes that she was well. She and the one to arrive. He reached the O.R. but only to arrive with his brother-in-law yelling out orders to his assistants.

"Place them in the warm box! We have to transport them as fast as possible to the Asian Branch! Contact Branch Chief Chan and inform her of the delivery." All trampled over eachother following his orders. "I need one pint of O negative, ASAP!"

"Yes, Dr.," one nurse called getting the blood. The man only watched in shock.

An assistant caught the sight of him and came over. "Mr. Everlott, we need you to remain outside until the procedure is over."

"But she's-"

"Get out Kingsley," Dr. Marcus called calmly without raising his view from the patient before her. "You'll contaminate my operating room."

"Please Mr. Everlott," another nurse came and took him out.

"Hang in there for me," Marcus kept mumbling as the procedure kept going.

Kingsley waited outside pacing about the hall unable to sit. What seemed like days to him were only hours before one of the nurses came out. Kingsley turned hopeful but immediately saw the saddened gaze of the woman. He sprinted into the room, coming to see Marcus first with the same saddened face. "Alexander, is she-"

"I managed to extract the fetuses before they could drown but-" Kingsley didn't wait for Marcus to finish and headed for the operating table where a woman laid semiconscious.

She was fairly beautiful but in the maze of blood and post op, it was hard to see the woman for which many of the branch fell for. Her dark chocolate hair was about stained in crimson. Her once fair skin was defailed with cuts, bruises, and blood. The most vile injury the one on her chest that although close had caused too much damage for her human body to sustain. Her eyes were closed and her peach lips slightly parted. Kingsley grabbed her hand, leaned on her chest and began to weep.

"I'm sorry King," Marcus said with a hand on his shoulder watching over the body of his dead sister.

Kingsley didn't replay until a few minutes later without raising his head. "What happened to them?"

"They were but ten weeks old," Marcus answered.

"They're dead," Kingsley concluded getting up and hiding his face. A nurse gently placed a cover over the woman's face and began filing papers for the death of one of their Exorcists had passed away in battle.

Marcus followed behind him and stopped him once outside the O.R. "Not quite." This caught his attention. "I have been in contact with Epstein since he went to the Asian Branch. Those artificial apostles, they are incubated in womb-like atmospheres. If we were to place them in those there is the chance that they could survive."

Kingsley only glanced over his shoulder at Marcus, "Is it possble?"

Marcus nodded, "Epstein says one subject has already surfaced. We could let her children mature in the wombs until the nine months are over. However-"

"What?" Kingsley asked hoping not to hear anymore bad news.

"Their cell structure won't produce without a stem to grow from." His face was down staring at the floor until now, "Let me reconstruct the loss with a new stem to create cells. Stronger ones that will most likely ensure their survival during these nine months."

"Do what you must to save them," Kingsley said overwhelmed and turning to leave. "They're all I have left from her."

He left Marcust alone in the dark hallway. An assistant came out, "They are on their way to the Asian Branch. Branch Chief Chan and Professor Epstein are already preparing a womb."

Marcus turned to him, "Contact them and tell them I'm on my way there. I'll see my promise through."

**The Asian Branch. Sixth laboratory. Fifty-six hours later. **

"Gently now," Alexander said as he slowly implanting the pieces inside each of the fetuses before placing them in the wombs. The fetuses were being kept in a warm box until placement which would be as soon as Epstein and Chan were ready with a warm womb. Neither Epstein nor Chan would know about this. He promised Kingsley he would keep these two alive whatever it took.

And whatever it took to keep them alive he would do.

He finished successfully with the implantation. All that was left was to hope that their genes would fuse with the piece and produce strong enough cells to keep them alive.

Epstein came in a rush, "It's ready."

In the womb shrine there in the far end was a pit that was filled with water that glimmered with the warm temperature making the water seemed a white color. Gently and carefully Sarinz and Edgar placed the ten week old fetuses inside the specially-made womb. They plunged in remaining together. Once the watter turned a bluish color informing them that the oxygen was properly getting absorbed by the fetuses.

Edgar sighed in relief. Sarinz however was not glad at all. He turned to Alexander, "Why did you tell Everlott that these wombs could save his children?"

"They were suppose to be alive living inside their mother," Alexander fought back. "It was the Order who commanded her to embark in the mission that got her killed. I found it relevant that it would be the Order who took over nurturing this motherless children."

"It's guilt that drove you to this Alexander. Not duty," Sarinz called glancing at the womb.

"They're safe and sound. I think that's what matters. If we can safe these two then maybe there's hope to more than creating life. We could safe it as well," Edgar said sheepishly.

"Will you remain here?" Twi asked Alexander.

He nodded. "It's likely that Kingsley will ignore me for now until I tell him the well being of his children. I must remain here until they are born."

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><p>Only bubbles rose from the pit of water. Alma leaned over the edge to see. It had only been two weeks since they had been there but what the Professor had called 'fetuses' had already grown to children possibly a head shorter than him. He was very much intrigued about those two. They weren't there like the others, they had been placed there.<p>

Renny had told him that they had been put there for them to grow like the other apostles but that they weren't apostles. This only confused him more. If they weren't apostles then how were they growing so fast?

A sudden ripple in the water made him focus back on the pit. One had opened it's eyes. He stared and blinked twice at the dark amethyst orbs that blinked back to him.

"Are you awake?" he called to it. The child only nodded making the water ripple more. That was when the second's eyes' slowly fluttered open as well. Once opened, those intense red orbs glanced up at him as well. "Both of you are!" He reached into the water with his hand extended to the amethyst-eyed one. "C'mon, get out of there! It's fun being out here!" The first born child reached out a delicate small hand and caught Alma's and sprung out with it's twin.

"Professor Edgar! Dr. Marcus!" Alma yelled loudly. "Come hurry! They got out! They're awake!" In a matter of minutes both were there plus a medical team.

"They're here months before their due date but seem to be perfectly healthy otherwise," Edgar said inspecting their vitals.

Now that the fish where out of the water, Alexander noticed their aspects from their parents. The second born had his father's looks. Pale skin and bleached hair that on Kingsley seemed slightly blonde but on the second born seemed a platinum color. It's eyes were dark red; the color of blood, the color of their mother's. The first born however was more alike their mother appearance-wise. Dark chocolate hair and fair skin. What was his father's was only the dark amethyst eyes that seemed to be as cold as dry ice. The thing that both shared was that they were born with female bodies.

Edgar covered them and picked the second born, "Help me with the other."

Alexander turned and was about to pick the first born up but noticed that the child was attempting to stand up. With buckling knees, she managed to stand on her two feet.

Alma surprised, gasped. He'd been right. The girl reached no further than his chin. Impulsively, he drew his hand out before Marcus could and grinned at the oblivious girl. "Come on. There's this really nice and warm place that you can be at. It's too cold here."

She reached out and slowly grabbed his hand and gripped, "Cold."

"Yeah, cold," Alma agreed as he went ahead of the two.

The second born was urging to follow, stretching her arms out and grasping at thin air towards her sister. Edgar smiled, "Yes, yes. I'm going."

They got to a room where Edgar dressed both girls in little dresses. Cutting their hair it was left in a length long enough to their shoulders and small plaits made on either side and brought back in a half ponytail. Both sat side by side on the bed that was besides Alma's. Alma only stared at the younger children before him curiously.

"You'll tell Kinglsey that they were born six months too early yet healthy?" Edgar asked.

"I will," Marcus said. "Once I find him. His gone MIA since his last mission. There has been no contact with him whatsoever."

"What about the girls?" Twi asked. "Will you take them back to the North American Branch?"

"I was hoping you'd let me raise them here," Marcus said hopefully.

"You'll raise your own nieces?" Renny asked.

"I'm the closest family they have. I'm their mother's older brother," Marcus said. "Cecilia would've wanted for me take care of them if Kingsley of her weren't in this world anymore."

"Professor Edgar! Professor Edgar!" Alma came running with a smile on his face.

"What's the matter Alma?" Edgar asked the boy.

"They said their names!" Alma called pulling on his coat. "Hurry, look!" All there followed the boy close as he stood before the two girls again. "Okay. Hi, my name's Alma. What's yours?"

"Celia," the first born said.

"Alice," the second born said.

"Were they given names before all of this?" Twi asked.

Marcus shook his head. "But both names are the same letters rearranged. And Celia is two letters less than Cecilia."

Edgar smiled at the two who fidgeted back. "So you're Celia and Alice. What cute name's. I'm sure your pretty hungry too. How about going for something to eat?"

"Food?" both said a little shy. Edgar nodded to their question.

Alma perked right up, "And there's this nice stuff called mayonaise too! It's awesome."

The first born jumped over the bed and landed on her two feet. The second stretched her arms out for Edgar to carry her. The four left to dinning hall leaving the others.

Marcus scoffed, "Celia and Alice, huh?" He began laughing while Lenny and Twi watched him shocked. "They're here yet it looks like it's her split in two. I wonder if Cecilia would've approved of this."

"You saved her daughters Alexander," Twi said a hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't save her but you gave the chance of her flesh and blood to be on earth."

_"Would you still be saying that...if you knew what _I _have done to them. What _I _have brought to this world. These...these..."_

_**Abominations.**_

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><p><strong>Could one have imagined that the two miracles would cause such tragedy upon him and the ones who knew them. The names of those two born out of the Second Exorcists Project were recorded by the researchers.<strong>

**Celia and Alice.**

**After the massive tragedy, no one knew were either ended. What was once together was ripped apart with the might of the titans. What remained was the sadness of one and hatred of the other. **

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><p><strong>I know that the last part was a little confusing but I didn't want to give their backgrounds in just one chapter. <strong>

**Well what do you think a little better than before? It's only the beginning so please don't be so harsh to prejudge it. It'll get much better as it goes on.**


	2. Retrace I

**Was it any good? Well I hope it was a major change in it compared to AI. **

**I like it that it's at least getting some readers. That's a good sign :D**

**Here goes another chappy!**

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><p><strong>Retrace I: Astray<strong>

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><p>The priest walked the empty streets followed by some guards. It was the 14th of February so festivities were high and that meant a greater possiblity of escape. He gritted his teeth, it was as if the Order were babysitting him. Well, he couldn't blade them. After all he had the tendecy of leaving without notice. He brushed away his red hair and kept walking.<p>

Suddenly a figure that was tall to his stomach ran into him. The cloaked figure fell back as so did the hood on her head. He looked down and amethyst eyes stared back at the red orb of his. She shuffled and got back on her feet and began running again. Glancing her way he noticed that three figures were following her tail. The priest, sneaking out from his guards followed stealthy behind the girl.

She got caught up in an alley far from the crowds. The girl coward against the wall as the three human figures began to transforms into huge mechanical monsters.

"No more," she cried holding onto a broken pipe she had found. "No more," she kept repeating.

The leading Level two crackled, "Destroying you will end the Earl's preoccupation." He motioned his hand towards her, "Get her."

"No more," the pipe began to shine and transfigure surrounded by feathers but before it could finish three shots called her attention ending the transfiguration.

Looking beyond the girl saw him, the man whom she had bumped into with a gun in his hand and the gaurds that had caught up panting. "It's rude to attack a disarmed child."

He went over to the girl but she raised the pipe against him. "Don't be stupid." He showed her the gun and cleared his overwhelming power over hers. "Why were they after you, kid?"

"They're hunters," the girl said through gritted teeth. "Hunting down a monster."

"And..." he trailed off pointing the gun at her making her take a step back. "You're the monster."

She took a gulp of saliva and stood her ground with her pipe. "I killed a lot of people. And I still need more. If that's not a monster then I don't know what I am." The pipe began to transfigure again with the feathers traveling from her hand towards it.

His eye widen and slapped the pipe away from her hands with the gun before the feathers could reach the tip. The feathers and stems retracted into her palms as she snarled. She looked like a hurt animal, growling at a hand that meant to aid. Hurt meant scared.

He holstered the gun and stretched his hand out to her. "You're not a monster just misunderstood."

"And you know what I am?" she asked scoffing.

"Yes," he answered straight foward making her shocked. "You're an accomodator." He reached out for the pipe and looked it over. Where the feathers had touched was where a new material had began to grow. It was the rusty iron of the old pipe but a new dark material. "You seemed to have had changed this thing into a weapon by simply touching it. You were changing it into an Innocence weapon."

"Innocence?" she asked still not sure about all of it.

"A substance that can kill those things that were after you. Innocence kills Akuma. Only a few handful are compatible with Innocence. These are the accomodators and those who are compatible are called Exorcists," the priest explained. "And you hold one of those Innocence. You are an accomodator and and an Exorcist."

"Could you-" she said with a hoarse voice. "Could you help me? I want to stop thinking like this." She grabbed her head and began scratching it with her longs nails. That was when he noticed high on her left temple, right on the scalp, was an opened gaping wound. The dark brown hair obscured the injury but her scratching illuminated earlier injuries of her nails. Self inflicted. He grabbed her hands stopping her. Her amethyst eyes were in a rage but still cried. "The voice is telling me that I have to kill them. But I don't want to. I don't want to kill them. They're...important people to me. Even though I don't know who they are. I see them when I sleep but they're gone when I wake. Who are they? Who's the voice? And why does it want me to kill them? I don't get it. I want to stop thinking like this. Could you help me?"

"I'll see what I can do," he said letting go of her hands and looking at her gaping wound. How could she have survived the wound itself? "For now would you mind coming back with so I can tend your wounds." She looked down and nodded. He began walking on towards the church but was stopped by her voice.

"What's your name mister?" she asked running over to him and grabbing his shirt with her dirty and bloodied hand. "My name's Celia."

"I'm Cross Marian," he answered to her. "Don't you have a last name?" She shook her head. "Then how about Valentine."

"Celia Valentine?" she repeated trying it out.

"Suits you well," Cross said ruffling her hair.

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><p>It wasn't just coincidence that he met her. After a year Cross made it possible for that voice to vanish somewhat. Those feelings of murder weren't in her anymore. However he was being force to send her to the Order's headquarters. She was only nine. He had no choice. He would go back for her. To make sure that they didn't defile this small piece of true Innocence in the world. He didn't like children, true, but that didn't take away the belief that he had. One of the few actually about children being the true saviors of the future of this world.<p>

"Why are you sending me away?" Celia asked after a year with him. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You did nothing wrong?" Cross assured her. He placed a little locket around her neck with a purple amethyst stone on it. She held it in her hands. "As long as you wear that I will be with you. I'll see what you see and hear what you hear." The golden golem landed on his head, "All through Tim."

"Timcanpy," Celia said with a small smile. "Will I be alright? Won't I kill everyone where I'm going?"

"Not anymore," he assured her and flicked her forehead. "The voices have stopped after all."

"They have," she said catching her forehead.

"That place isn't pleasant to be at. You'll have to be strong, lie to others, all in order to survive in that place," Cross said. "All until it gets better."

Cross looked about and found the Finder that was suppose to take her away. The Finder appraoched them, "General Cross."

"I know," he answered. He glanced down at Celia, "Goodbye, brat."

"Not goodbye," Celia said as the Finder took her luggage and took her away. "It's until we see eachother again, right? So it's a see you later, Cross!" They left hopping into a train and gone by the minute.

"You're a guillable kid, Celia," he said lighting a cigarette and blowing off smoke. "That will doom you there. Learn to be strong. Learn to lie. Learn to survive. That's the only advice I can give you."

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><p>They placed her into a room and left her there. It had taken days to arrive and once there nobody welmcomed her. It wasn't a home like it was with Cross. She touched the pendant on her chest and cupped it in her hands.<p>

"I don't like this place, Cross." She cried a bit. "The people here...they remind me of something and it makes me want to..." The scar high on her left temple pounded hard. "It makes me want to...kill them."

_"Learn to be strong. Learn to lie. Learn to survive."_ He'd told her over and over again. Days passed without her being able to leave her room. People always bringing in food for her. They didn't let her out at all. One night, her stomach already growling, made her go outside looking for the dinning hall. But the place was too big and she kept getting lost.

Turning a corner she found herself back where she started, "Rats."

"What are you doing?" she turned to find a black haired boy dressed in a more Eastern style.

"It's none of-" her stomach growled. She covered it and blushed, embarassed.

"You're the new one, aren't you?" he said a liitle too mean for her comfort.

"So?" she asked biting her cheek to keep from crying out in hunger.

He sighed and turned to leave, "I'll take you to the cafeteria." Celia only glanced at him confused but followed nonetheless. Once there she ate until she was about to burst. "You're odd."

"You're not talkative at all but who's complaining," she said wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

"Che," he passed her a napkin. She blinked twice confused, "Wipe your face with this instead, you moron."

"Moron?" she said wiping her mouth. "Your mother," she retorted back. A vein popped on his forehead from her comment.

"You're testing your luck there newbie," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not newbie," she said glaring at him the way he was. Or at least she tried. "My name's Celia Valentine."

"Like hell I care," he said looking away.

"Who're you anyway?" she asked a little bored again.

"None of your business," the boy called.

_"Don't let them live."_

"Huh?" she said grabbing her head again. The boy turned to her confused by her actions.

_"Look so many!"_

She began to scratch and hit it little by little but more and more. "H-Hey!" the boy called. "What's wrong?"

_"Kill. Kill them. Kill them all!" _

"Shut up!" she yelled pushing herself away and backing up only to fall onto the floor and hit her head hard.

"Hey!" the boy called getting up and around towards her. He helped her up and noticed the blood on his hands that had come from the back of her head. "You're bleeding."

"It's to shut it up," she said touching the back of her head. "I don't want to listen to it," She dug her nails on the wound making it deeper.

"What's wrong Kanda?" a small little girl with the same Eastern clothes called coming into the dinning hall.

"Lenalee, call the Head Nurse! Hurry!" Kanda shouted at the little girl who rushed away towards the hospital ward, not asking anything. He turned back to Celia who kept digging her nails on the wound. He pulled her arms back, "Stop that. You're making it worse."

That's when he heard her begin to sob. "He said it'd stop," she was crying now. "But it didn't. It wants me to do it but I don't want to."

"Do what? Who?" Kanda kept asking trying to keep her hands away from her head.

"I don't want to kill anybody," she mumbled softly.

"What happened here?" the Head Nurse called coming in with Lenalee close behind.

"She hit her head and cut it open," Kanda called as she took her away from him. Her eyes were glazed and lost in space. Had she fallen unconscious. Lenalee went to Kanda clinging to his arm.

"Matron," two more nurses came in with a strecher.

"Take her and stitch her up," the Head Nurse called. The nurses obeyed and took Celia away. She turned to the kids, "Is she the child who came her a couple of days ago?" Lenalee shrugged but Kanda nodded.

"She said her name was Celia."

"She wasn't suppose to get out of her room just yet," she said running out towards the hospital room.

"Who was she Kanda?" Lenalee asked confused.

"Another Exorcist," he simply said.

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><p>Celia's eyes fluttered open. She sat up from her bed and saw everything was white. She removed the oxygen masked that bother her face. Looking around she saw a plate on the nightstand with a sliced apple.<p>

"Where?" she remembered and touched the back of her head. She felt the stitches. That's right, she heard the voice again. Why would it want her to kill here for?

"You're awake," the Head Nurse came over to her. "You shouldn't have gone out, dear."

"Am I in a hospital?" Celia asked.

"You're in the hospital ward of the Order," she answered her.

"I'm sorry for making so much trouble for you," she apologized. The Head Nurse smiled and gave her some juice.

"Matron!" both turn to see Lenalee with a bouquet of flower in one hand and dragging Kanda in with the other. "Hello."

"Ah, Lenalee," the Head Nurse called. "And Kanda Yu as well?"

"She dragged me here," Kanda called taking his hand away. Lenalee went close and put the bouquet of flowers on the bed.

"These are for you," Lenalee said with a smile. "So you can get better soon."

Celia grabbed them and smelled them. "Thank you."

"My name's Lenalee Lee," the little eight-year-old called. "And that over there is Kanda Yu."

"Don't call me that!" Kanda called pissed.

"Yu?" Celia repeated getting Kanda even more pissed. She giggled with Lenalee at his being angry at that kind of thing. "That's a cute name."

"Shut up," Kanda hissed.

"Alright children out you go," the Head Nurse called to the two. "You can visit Celia tomorrow but today she has to rest."

"Okay!" Lenalee called. "By Celia nee-chan!" Kanda only headed to leave.

"Bye Lenalee. Bye Yu," she called to them.

The Head Nurse closed the door but she could still hear the shouting, "Don't call me that!" Looking around she noticed nobody else was in there with her. She stood up from her bed and went to look around the room. That's when she found it. A tiny, glistening crystal ball the color of her eyes. Holding it in her hands she played with it.

"I've never met people this nice. Besides Cross nobody has ever taken care of me," she talked to herself. "I want to protect these people. I don't want to kill them." She smiled and threw the ball in the air while she said, "I'm not going to listen to you anymore."

The Head Nurse from the outside heard a heavy cracking sound from the patients room. Bursting into the room the Head Nurse found that inside Celia was up. That wasn't what surprised her though. What did was the weapon that was pierced through the marble floor. An adult size kwan dao, the blade piercing the floor, the staff itself was a red color. At the other extreme there was a long tassel of a purple color with the amethyst ball attached along with a small bell that chimed.

"What in the heavens?" the Head Nurse said under her breath. The other nurses came in and gasped loudly.

Celia, ignoring them, simply took the kwan dao in her hands and felt the bamboo that made the pole. Pulling as hard as she could she got the blade out of the floor. She staggered a bit backwards from the weight misfit but soon recovered her composure. She moved it around from side to side and heard the chiming each time.

"Head Nurse it that...?" one of the nurses couldn't dare say it.

"It is," she answered.

"Look Matron!" Celia said finally paying them some attention and having a great smile on her face. "It's my Innocence!"

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><p><strong>It was all well until a year had passed. Lenalee broke down and all the mayhem began. Neither Kanda nor Celia could get close to her once locked up. This didn't stop Celia thought which was what got her locked up and confined in her room for months on end. Kanda would go visit her from time to time but soon that was restricted as well. It was all dark and malice in that place. <strong>

**Just then the light came upon it. Komui Lee became the Supervisor of the Order's headquarters. Liberating Lenalee from her confinement freed her from her mental breakdown. But for Celia it had been months spent trying to fight the voice that kept on speaking to her. **

**Once out of confinement she wasn't quite the same. Sent on missions like all the others, Celia Valentine went missin after one mission. Two weeks later she was declared MIA and has remained so for the last six years.**

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><p><strong>Whoa whole new weapon right there. I like it. It's something different than usual, wouldn't you say? If you don't know what it looks like Google the name. If some are too lazy, then if you have seen Shaman King, it's the weapon that Ren Tao uses. <strong>

**I get tired of writing about the past. So I'll skip it by conviniently summing it up. ;D So next chapter's gonna be in the present tense of the manga. Whoo! XD**

**Please Review!**


	3. Retrace II

**Ah! I love you guys so much for the support and love! **

**I wanna give out a huge thanks to all these lovely people: **

**-Azura Soul Reaver for being the first to review!  
><strong>**-Kuroki Katsumi for the stofy fav!  
>-JeanyWalker for the second review!<br>-orangejuice MONSTER for the story fav!  
><strong>**-and to Pinkbeca for the third review!**

**You guys are the best~! This goes out for you who keep encouring me on the stories! If it weren't for you it'd be pointless to write!**

**Now this is gor all of you~ XD**

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><p><strong>Retrace II: Once Lost, Now Found<strong>

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><p>She stopped in the middle of the people walking by at midday. The girl, tall and slim, only hid her features behind a cloak. She took a deep breath but before she could called out she got bumped into by people.<p>

"Move!" "You're in the way!"

"Ah!" she called twirling around. Ending up in an alley, seeing a couple of crates she climbed them and took her stand over the roofs of the city of Paris.

She attempted it a second time and took another deep breath. **"Paris!"** she exclaimed at the top of her lungs throwing her arms wide open. **"I'm back!" **

Once satisfied she climbed off and headed towards her final destination. Finding the water canal that connected them wasn't hard. The thing that was going to be though was to swim all the way to the loading of passangers. She sighed and her shoulders slumped at the thought of having to swim in those old clothes. Well she was going to get new ones soon so might as well get rid of them.

Prying the cloak off she showed off what was underneath so much clothing. Up close she looked no older than seventeen. Her brown hair, dark enough that without any kind of light it could be mistaken with black, was long but when tidied correctly like she knew hot to fit perfectly into a high ponytail. The way hers was up made the tail ripple with layers and her bangs being short were somewhat loose upon her face. On that ponytail was a single red stick with a small tassle that held a purple crystal ball and a small chime that sounded everytime she eyes the color of amthyst resembled well the gem but with a darker shade to them. Her figure was slim but well toned from years of training and fighting. Her clothes were old and tattered even moreso that the cloak itself from al those years. It was even smeared with old blood that turned black. Her right arm was covered with week old bandages over her bicep on her otherwise fair skin.

She checked for any outcoming boats and plunged in. Surfacing she began to seem into the tunnel. It was dark but her eyes were already used to that kind of light. In no less than twenty minutes she arrived at the port and went up. She shook herself almost as if she were some kind of dog but worked to dry her somewhat nonetheless. Sneaking around a place she new not about for the last seven years was what she considered fun. Or so she looked the part for she snickered while going around undetected under shadows. It was the one in the morning so it was less likely for her to be caught.

She went around the place as if she had been there just the other day. Once turning the corner she stopped to think. If she remembered right, she looked at the double door that stood before her, this should be it. Turning the knob in her hands she found herself inside an office. The same office that seven years ago one could see the floor where as now one could only see half started papers on the floor, covering it like a carpet. Looking further she noticed the man asleep under piles of books and notices that needed to be signed.

She smiled remembering the weeks spent with the guy and how he'd brought a last ray of hope to the dark place. She came up close to the person and shoved him slightly. "Oi, Lee." He tosses a bit mumbling something but remained asleep. She tried again a bit louder, "Komui Lee! I'm back!" He did the same thing and was even more asleep than before. Her shoulders slumped as she blew her bangs away from her face.

Then she snapped her fingers remembering a tactic that the newest member of the science division back then had done to awake this sleeping beauty. She came up close and whispered, "Hey Komui, Lenalee's gonna get married."

"What! How could you Lenalee without telling your deary brother!" he exclaimed fully awake from his dreamland that most likely involved his dear young sister.

She cleared her throat loud enough for him to hear. Komui turned to the sound and saw the seventeen-year-old girl standing in a very brusque manner with her arms crossed before her chest. He blinked twice, adjusted his glasses then took them off, cleaned them and back on only to still blink two more times.

"It's me, you lame excuse of a supervisor!" she shouted at his face getting impatient.

His face suddenly turned serious in comparison to his usual goofiness. His mouth opened an only two syllables came out, "Celia?"

She threw her arms in the air. "Finally!" She walked over to the couch and sat down crossing her legs and looking at him, "So how's life treated you so far?"

He walked around the desk slowly and came over to her, his eyes still in disbelief. "It's unbelievable," he said out loud but still quietly. "The last time I saw you-"

"I was a puny ten-year-old brat," she said putting her hand at the height of the couch's back. "But that was a long time ago." She stretched out and smiled, "The important thing is that I'm back and ready to go back out in missions."

"Where..." he couldn't formulate one out of the countless of questions in his head.

"Like I said doesn't matter," she said straight to that point while standing up. "What I am going to discuss with you is one thing." She put her left hand which had a small purple beaded bracelet on upon her right bandaged arm and unwrapped the gauze. Komui's eyes widened at seeing the injury. Flesh was gaping at the round wound no more that the size of a smal fist. That's when he noticed something even stranger than the flesh and fresh blood. The marks that had been imprinted on her flesh itself.

"A bite mark?" he said examining it without touching.

"A human bite mark," she specified. She flinched when his finger traveled a little to far but she stuck her tongue out, "Gotcha ya." It didn't seem funny to him though. She cleared her throat and continued, "I wound up in this manor and it was infested with crazed people. I think they were zombies."

"Zombies?" he repeated confused but more in disbelief than anything else.

"Don't look at me like that!" she exclaimed shoving her arm at his face. "Look at this! Look at this! This is prove that I'm not lying or crazy myself."

"At first glance it does look like human teeth," Komui agreed for that part.

"See?" she said looking at it herself. "It was made about five days ago but I couldn't get any good medical treatment. Mind cleaning it for me?"

"Is that what you came for? Medical attention?" he asked with a chuckle as he went on ahead.

A saddened expressioned came to her with a tinge of hurt that he didn't get to look before she hid her face. "I found a clue about _them_." He turned to her in shock but decided it was better to speak of everything more slowly.

So in the course of two hours while fixing her arm. She told him that the little zombie thing was an exaggeration. It had been people but more like Akuma who wouldn't change into their mechanic form and instead attacked her with what they could. Breaking they limbs away for questioning was enough and one managed to bite her. By then end of that story he was finished with treating her arm.

He didn't ask why it hadn't killed her seeming as Hevlaska had told him that her body was incredibly resilient and that because of her parasite-type Innocence, able to create an anti-Akuma weapon of what she touched, would serve it's purpose. It bother him, though, to know that although she was initially a parasite-type Innocence user she had a permanent equipment-type which at the age of seven she had brilliantly named Xiao. Lenalee was the one who gave her the idea when she told Celia that Xiao in Chinese meant heaven.

After treating the injury, though, he did ask as to what information of _their_ location she had found out.

"I found it about two months ago in a small town in Germany," she explained over a cup of herbal tea. "An old woman had told me that one of their hideouts was in a manor at the other side of the country. She even said that she was very curious yet frightful of them since it was rumored that they were connected with the black arts."

"You said you weren't going to look out for them," Komui said after the storytelling ended. "You broke your promise."

"Yeah well," she said putting her tea down and looking out a window while pouting. "That was when I was ten. I grew up, Komui. It turns out I can't live in peace with myself without knowing the truth."

"You're not going to be at peace if you find out," Komui told her.

"You don't know that," she said trying to keep calm. It was turning to be harder than she thought. "Nobody knows that. Cross found me lost and with severe amnesia." She ran her hand across her scalp and felt for the scar high on her left temple. "I don't know where I came from or who the heck I am. All I had to guide me on was this." She drew out the little pendant that Cross had given her. It had turned out to be a valuable that she had been found with which Cross had hid from her. On the inside of the pendant were the words engraved in tiny letters´'_Us Together. A.C.E.'. _As it had turned out the word ACE had something to do with her past and thanks to the lady from Germany she had found at least a little piece information. She sighed, "I found the manor."

"What was it you found out in that manor?" he asked noticing her pause.

"Those Akuma that wouldn't turn to machines and this," she searched in her pockets to take out a small gold coin engraved with the letters ACE on one side and the imprint of Edo's national animal on the other. "It's Japan."

"Could it be that one of their headquarters was in Japan?" he asked more himself than her.

She shrugged putting it away. "It's a pretty secluded area but I doubt they would've survived. After all the Order knows that the Earl uses that place doesn't it? It's a pretty hidden area. Plus no human contact of much." She took another sip of her tea, "But who knows. I have never heard of the A.C.E in any history I have come across. Nobody knew their names but an old lady. Perhaps they got found out by the wrong eyes and decided to move out." She sighed deeply again and stretched, liberating her stress, "But I still won't give up! I know there's someone out there who's my family. I have a mother and father somewhere out there in this world. And A.C.E is what is going to lead me to them. All I need is to find out where they are."

"You've got a good attitude for it," Komui said with a smile.

"Imaging what it'd be to know about your sister but not being able to be near her. You know she exists but she's out in the world without any idea who you are. Wouldn't you too do whatever it took to find her? At any costs?"

She hit him where it hurt but he didn't react to his usual ways. "I must agree with your logic. So you have been searching for these past seven years behind my back?"

"Yep," she said happily.

"And would you do it again if the opportunity came by?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Without a second thought," she said giving him a thumbs up.

That's when he snapped it around her right wrist. She blinked twice at the object and without thinking began to attempt prying it off. She tried and tried but the thing just wouldn't budge. "What the hell Komui!" she yelled angry. The thing was like a small black bracelet with blue lines all over it.

"It's a tracking device. Just in case you have any other brilliant ideas of running off without permission," he said lifting his glasses.

"What? I bet Lena has one of these too! You crazy old man!" she yelled still trying to pry it off.

"Don't bother," he said. "It comes off with a special code. I specially made it having General Cross as the main objective but now that you're here I might as well start with you."

"You're crazy," she mumbled giving up on the thing. "So what? With this thing can I come back to the Order? As a 'real' Exorcist this time?"

"Sure," Komui agreed. "You'll have to take missions like all the others."

"In exchange, can I keep researching about ACE?" she asked.

"Absolutely not," he retorted.

"Lee!" she exclaimed.

"I'm serious," Komui said very seriously. "It's very dangerous to deal with something like hidden cults and whatnot."

"They're not a cult!" she exclaimed. "Besides, isn't that what the Order is based on? A cult made up by the Vatican?"

"Don't equal one thing to another that has nothing to do," Komui said standing up.

"Where're you going?" she asked inspecting the device that leeched to her wrist a little to tight.

"To get your room key," he said with a small smile. "We left it the way it was since you left. Now come."

She followed him to his office for the key and then towards the rooms. It was still pretty empty seeing as it was already perhaps five in the morning by then. He opened the door to the room and let her in. She didn't go in less than a couple steps before backing away towards the exit.

He stood against the door which opened in and smiled weakly. "You don't want to come in?"

"I politely refuse to," she said in a rapid hoarse voice.

"I see," he said turning the light on. It became brighter inside, only then did she even think of stepping in what used to be her old bedroom. The bed was still hugging the right wall while a small desk was on the top left corner with a lamp and chair and the bathroom door was to the lower left. A window seperated the wall opposite to where she was now standing. A window that she remembered used to have bars going along it to avoid her escape. On the posts of her bed there weren't any ligatures like there were before to keep her in. The room was leavened by the absence of these objects, making her feel at least a bit more comfortable in her own room.

She noticed then the medium size teddy bear of a black color with a huge red bow. She walked over to it and plumped its head. She smiled, it had been Lenalee's gift to her on her seventh birthday. She'd left it there. She looked around and noticed the room was pratically clean for being vacant for the last seven years. Somebody had come in probably weekly to clean it up. Perhpas believing that she'd return to it one day.

"Has Lenalee been allowed in here?" she asked taking a seat on the bed and crossing her legs.

"She had a spare key. Asked for it, actually. She's been in here probably once a week when she has time. The day after returning from a mission on some others," Komui said standing next to her.

"She's a good girl," she whispered with a smile. "Is she here?"

"Wakes early in the morning," Komui answered. "Do you want me to tell her or will you do it yourself?"

She sighed and massaged her temple in thought. She sighed and threw herself in her bed and stretched, "I'll tell her. She'll ask me a lot of questions so I think we'll take most of the morning talking to eachother." She ran her left hand across her hair and noticed the strings of the beaded bracelet stroke her forehead slightly. She played with it a bit and asked her last question, "What happened to Kanda?"

"He's out in a mission currently," he answered her. "He should be back in a couple of days or so."

"Great," she called laughing nervously. "I'll most probably end up talking to him too, won't I?"

"Eventually," he said heading for the door. "You know," he said before shutting the door behind himself. "It was Kanda-kun who was the most shocked about you went missing seven years ago. He told Lenalee that he thought you had died off somewhere for sure."

"I bet he did," she said turning on her side to face the wall and became quiet.

Komui walked out and silently closed the door. He didn't need to tell her the rest. That the night the eleven-year-old Kanda found out about her disappearance that he'd heard strange noises from his room. Something that almost sounded like sobbing.

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><p><strong>I feel happy about this one! I finally reintroduced Celia into the Order after TEN years! Imagine that long...<strong>

**Well how was it? Celia's attitude isn't well set since she was only talking with Komui so wait until the next chapter for the real deal. **

**Please review! **


	4. Retrace III

**Another chapter yay!**

**Thanks to all you nice and lovely people who like this story that's only starting. But I guess that's the best part about it! It still has a long way to go~**

**Okay, first I want to clear the timeline of events so far since I got pretty mixed up in the last chapter (which i fixed already :D)  
>-8 yrs. old: Celia's found by Cross<br>-9 yrs. old: Cross sends Celia to the Order HQ  
>-10 yrs. old: Komui becomes suprvisor of the Black Order's HQ.<br>****-10 and a half: she is declared missing.  
><strong>**-17 yrs. old: returns to the Order.**

**So basically she spent seven years out of the Order. That clarifies for me and hopefully anybody else who was confused about it in the last chapter.**

**OK, now to the next chappy~**

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><p><strong>Retrace III: Home Once More<strong>

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><p>Celia averted her eyes nervously while Lenalee took in the information. They were currently at the dinning hall a couple of hours after Celia's arrival. It was pretty crowded which she was thankful for. If it weren't Celia knew Lenalee would over react and start yelling at her.<p>

Back off a few hours before, Komui had asked Lenalee to meet with a returning comrade. Lenalee had no clue still she followed her orders. Finding Celia there was the least of her expectations. Celia only waved her deviced hand and smiled slightly. As expected though, Lenalee followed her ladylike mannerism and instead of yelling or shouting, she began hysterically whispering at Celia's face. Things about how could she have gone missing for seven long years and how she had no idea how damn -she actually used a cuss word- worried everybody had been about her. Once Lenalee had calmed down Celia explained to the best of ehr ability. Of course, Komui had prohibited her from speaking of A.C.E. to any other members of the Order so she excluded that part out. It was kinda hard to do since the whole 'missing for seven years' story was based upon that. So instead she added a tad bit of sugar on the truth, changed it a bit and then lied through her teeth.

"I went looking for clues to my family." Truth: the family part. "But, unfortunately, found nothing useful." Lie: she found the coin that pointed to Edo. "But I'm alright now." Truth: she liked being back to where her only home has been. "It's gonna be hard but I'm going to forget about looking for my folks altogether. Too much of a hassle." Sugar coated truth: it was bull that she was going to give it up, even after Komui indirectly ordered her too but the true part that it was a hassle overall.

Lenalee ate it; lies, truth, and spices of sugar all together. Back to the now, it was when Lenalee was trying to keep all her frustrations that had piled over the years slowly fume out.

"So you're permanently staying, right?" she finally asked after awhile.

Celia turned to her and nodded slowly in disbelief. "Snd even if I wanted to leave-" she raised her left hand- "Your brother put this tracking thing on me. I am officially screwed if I even think about sneaking out more than a hundred meters from this place." She craddled her chin in her palms. "So how's it been seven years here?"

Lenalee sighed at the nonchalant way that Celia spoke her words. It was as if they had seen eachother just the other day, "After Nii-san became the Supervisor it has been quite peaceful and more of a home, this place. It's not like it was before then."

"About that," Celia said a little embarassed. "I need to kinda apologize about not being there for you back when the Inspector was in charge. I tried, believe me I did. It only got me confined as well."

"Nii-san told me about that," she said with a warmer smile. "You last but six months before you had your own breakdown. You're used to just piling everything on until you burst out."

"I do not," Celia pouted playing with her soup. She wasn't hungry which was odd since she was originally a parasite-type accomodator. She shook her head, "Anyway, the mad case of a brother said that I needed to be fitted for a uniform with Johnny."

"I'll take you there," she said with a smile. While following Lenalee through the halls of headquarters it surprised Celia how easily Lenalee had bought that half bull she had given her. Either she bought it or is pretending to for her sake. Was she faking and saying nothing because she was happy that Celia had come back? Most likely. They arrived at the messy quarters of the science division. Burried by piles of files and books, Lenalee pulled Johnny out of piles and dragged him away into a seperate room where he worked his magic with fabric.

"Valentine-san?" Johnny said half asleep, adjusting his overly huge glasses and cleaning his drool.

"Long time no see, Gill," Celia waved the deviced hand yet again with a weak smile. "They told me you were the guy to come see about uniform fittings."

Johnny only nodded, finally awake and happy. "Well, let's get to it. The sooner we get your uniform done, the sooner you'll get out there."

"Exactly," Lenalee agreed happy.

While Johnny took measurements and took design sketches, Celia kept inquiring herself about her past actions. How much trouble had she caused the people she knew here when she diappeared? She shook away the thought knowing there was no point in questioning the past in the present. It would only mess up her now and completely screw her future.

"Alrighty then!" Johnny said overjoyed. "I'll get to work on your uniform right away. I'll have it done by tomorrow."

Lenalee stood getting Celia's attention, "Let's go visit Hevlaska. She was also worried about you when you left."

"Hevlaska huh?" Celia repeated and agreed on going to her lair. Traveling down the elevator was interesting to Celia not having been there for too long. Once at the bottom Lenalee came up and spoke first.

"Hevlaska look!" she called with joy in her voice. "It's Celia! She's back home!"

Hevlaska appeared from her abode and rose elegantly. Celia stared in awe. No matter how many times she saw her Hevlaska always seemed as such an elegant being. A smile spread across Hevlaska's human features.

"It is nice to see you once again after so long Celia," Hevlaska spoke in her lethargically smooth voice.

"Yeah," she said still in a bit of awe. "I missed this place," she said scratching the back of her head. "Guess I really do like it here."

"I am more than glad to see you safe and sound after seven years," Hevlaska said. "How is Xiao?"

"Well enough," she said reaching for the pin in her ponytail. Taking it out she activated it without a word and the pin became larger in a bright glow and took it's original shape. Hevlaska took it in her inhuman limbs and inspected the artifact. Suddenly her head turned sideways but with a slow motion to it. She turned to the two and gave back Xiao to Celia who only made it into it's smaller form and into her hair. "I believe the one whom you've been dreading to meet has made his return."

Celia averted her eyes and smiled nervously, "Am I that obvious?"

"To me perhaps you are," Hevlaska said with a slight giggle. Celia smiled glad to have made her at least a bit happier.

"Really?" Lenalee's voice raised. She had been talking via golem with Komui since Hevlaska and Celia began on their end. "Okay then I'll tell her." She turned to Celia with a smile, "Celia, Kanda's back from his mission."

"Whoopey-doo," she said flinging her index finger around in sarcasm. Lenalee had parted with her halfway saying that Komui wanted her for something and told Celia to go to Kanda by herself. She waved goodbye to Lenalee and after counting to five gave out a great sigh. Her eye twitch with the thought of seeing him again. If Kanda was still the pessimist she remembered then he would be pissed at her for coming back after so many years.

If she only walked to her room as quietly as possible she might actually avoid that dreaded meeting with that guy. Yet just as she turned the corner to her room she hid behind that same corner she'd taken. Getting a little glimpse beyond she saw a overly built man in a white coat, a Finder, standing in front of the door neighboring to hers. That wasn't what stopped her though. What did was the fact of who was standing on the doorstep of that room.

His hair had grown longer and was tied in that same stupid ponytail. His features had grown meaner (if possible) and that frown never helped him. He wore the same black and silver trimmed uniform that Lenalee had. She drew back even more when the man came right past the small hallway and towards the outside of that area. She exhaled but gasped and held it again when she saw him go past that same hall straight towards the hospital ward.

She sighed in relief, he hadn't notice her presence. Forgetting about going to her room she went ahead to look for Lenalee. Almost reaching the control room where she'd said she would be at, Celia heard a loud distinctive voice that came from the lower level where the front entrance was located at.

"This guy is outta here!" the grave voice yelled exasperated and desperate. She stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels towards the way the voice had come from. The voice continued it's babbling, "This guy is a friend of the Earl! Out! OUT!"

Celia turned again and ran all the way up to the control room. Going through the door was easy but getting through the crowd was harder than she thought. When one of them got out she raised her hand and called out to the girl, "Lenalee!"

"Celia," Lenalee said as the other finally got through the crowd.

"What's happening?" she asked looking out through the monitors.

"The boy," she answered pointing at one screen to a young thing with short white hair and short stature. After the ruckus of the letter was done, Komui told Lenalee to go help out there.

"Sure," Lenalee said with a smile taking her clipboard. "Let's go Celia."

"Why me too?" she asked pointing at herself and sweat dropping.

"Do you want to stay here with them?" she asked pointing her thumb at the science division. She just lowered her gaze and followed Lenalee silently. She didn't know what was worse, meeting Kanda like this or staying with the scientists who smelled like they hadn't showered in a long while. The doors opened but instead of following her outside Celia simply stayed on the otherside of the the doorway. She heard a hard metal noise and Lenalee's voice scolding Kanda. She chuckled to herself, always like that that girl.

Withing minutes she was coming through the door. Celia took in a breath and turned but it was the tall Japanese man she saw but the boy with white hair. In that instant her senses froze over and something in her boiled. The older boy had yet to notice her presence but the white-haired boy's eyes had landed right on Celia's. This shattered the ice and calmed the fire and instead lit something else. Something realy bad.

"Oh by the way this is-" but before Lenalee could finish her sentence Celia's fetish had switched on. In the span of a second she had jumped and clung to the younger boy's neck while praising said person with a high pitch voice with sparkles all about her. It was like Komui with Lenalee but for another reason.

**"You're sooooooo cute~!"** Celia's voice cooed in an even higher. The white-haired boy was petrified more because of the sudden ambush by the older girl. "You're like a piece of heaven! You're so soft and white and **cute~!**"

"E-Excuse me," the boy said finding his voice.

_Oh no,_ she thought to herself putting the line between her switched self and the controlled her again. She couldn't control herself and it wasn't until Lenalee pried her off him. It wasn't until the other spoke that she returned to normal.

"You're stupid obsession's still with you I can see." She turned to Kanda who was glaring at her pretty intensely. She opened her mouth to say something but he had turned and was about to walk away when the boy spoke again.

"Ah, Kanda," the boy called with his hand stretched out politely. The daggers this time were directed at the boy. "That was your name, right...? Nice to meet you." Kanda said nothing but walked away towards the rooms.

Celia stared his way while he left. She pouted at his reaction. Well that wasn't the reunion she imagined!

"Celia!" Lenalee's voice snapped her around towards them. "This is Allen Walker. His going to be the new Exorcist."

"Nice to meet your aqquantance Allen Walker," she said politely to pay for what she'd done beforehand. "I'm Celia Valentine. Sorry about what happened before."

"M-May I ask what happened there?" Allena asked her. Her head dropped low with a little embarrassment.

"It's kind of a sickness or I like to think of it that way," Lenalee said thinking out loud. "When she sees something cute she barges at it like there's no tomorrow. It's something that sprouted when she was very little."

"Something I'm not very fond of but can't stop myself either ways," she said more than just a little ashamed. When she finally took her eyes from the ground she noticed the golden ball with wings that was atop of Allen's head.

She gasped loudly, "T-Timcanpy!"The small golem flew over to Celia's hands and rested there. "What are you doing here?"

"You know Tim?" Allen asked.

"Of course I do," she answered. "I lived with him and Cross for a year before coming to this place."

"Oh that's right!" Lenalee said in an epiphany. "Celia, Allen's the General's apprentice."

"Really?" she said passsing Timcanpy over to Allen. "How long?"

"Three years," Allen answered not with much glee.

She only slapped him on the back, "I congratulate you for surviving so long. You're a true hero."

"Huh?" Lenalee said confused.

Celia only shook her head with a smile and sprinted off as she shouted, "Talk to you guys later!"

She ran towards the rooms and stood before the door that was next to her own. She took in a deep breath and raised her hand to knock twice gently but loud enough. When there was no answer she didn't knock again. Instead, with a frown in her face, she turned the knob and went into the obscure room.

"You're impossible," he said coming out of his bathroom.

She closed the door behind herself and went to sit on the bed. "You're the asswhite who didn't even say hi."

"What did you want me to say?" he said in disbelief as he unwrapped the bandages on his abdomen. A scar was etched on his chest no larger than a butcher's knife. Probably an axe. But the scar looked quite healed although it was fresh. She wasn't bother by his half nudity and neither was him. When they were kids it was Celia who often cared for his wounds after their training or any bad fight with the CROWs. " 'Hey, glad you're not dead after seven years'?" He snorted while putting on new bandages and a white shirt, "I'm not Lenalee."

"I avoided her making a scene," she said with a small chuckle. "I came back yesterday morning." He said nothing but head for his bed ready to push her off and out. She pouted and spraweled all over his bed face down.

"Get off and get out of here," he said quite mad and most of all irritated.

"Not until you say sorry Yu," she said a little louder hearing her voice still low because of the muffle of the bed.

"What did you call me?" he asked, his vein popping and his hand on Mugen.

She turned over and began crying out like a little kid, kicking and crying the name out loud, **"Yu! Yu! Yu! Yu! Yu! Yuuuuuuuu!" **

"Would you shut up!" he said throwing the pillow at her face shutting her up as her feet and hands laid immobile to her sides.

"Do you..." she said slowly removing the pillow from her face. Her eyes were dulled turning their amethyst color a cold feeling. "Want to know what I searched for those seven years?"

He stood silently but sighed after a few seconds. "Even if I say no you'll just tell me anyways."

She sat up and searched her pockets until she found the small coin. She placed the coin gently on his hand and while he looked at it she spoke. "I've spent the last seven years looking for clues to my family."

"A.C.E.," Kanda repeated the engravings on the coin. Turning it around he read, "Edo. Japan?"

"Somebody there might know where I'm from or might know where my family is," she said cuddling the pillow in her arms.

"You should give up," he said tossing the coin aside on the bed.

"There's no way!" she shouted throwing the pillow at him and picking the coin up. She stood up while he was distracted and went towards the door. Opening the door she faced him angry, "I'm not going to give up on looking for them. I don't care what you or Komui tell me. You know me, I don't back down on my word. Ever." She lifted her wrist showing the beaded bracelet. "Otherwise I'd have thrown this a long time ago." She slammed the door with all her might almost pulling it off its hinges. She went directly into her room and went to her bed. She cuddled hanging onto her pillow.

She was never going to rest until she found where she had come from and find out about her family. She closed her eyes and let the cold wind from her open window drift her to sleep.

_"Don't..." _The voice in her head spoke through the only channel it had left. Her dreams. _"Don't forget...Don't forgive... Find them..."_

_"And-" _

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><p><strong>Well how was it? Kanda might have been a little OOC, what do you guys think? I hope not though. Well here it is.<strong>

**Next time it'll be more exicting! Celia's going for her first mission.**

**Please review!**


	5. Retrace IV

**Haha, I knew Kanda was a bit OOC on the last chapter. Well I just took in consideration that they've been friends since they were kids. I used that and sprinkled it with Kanda's bad mouth and short temper. **

**Anyway, I'll go back to writing Kanda without the OOCness. Hope it works now.**

**Thanks to Azura for the awesome review!**

**Okay now to Celia's first mission ever.**

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><p><strong>Retrace IV: Abnormality<strong>

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><p>Celia couldn't keep awake that next morning. Her sleep had been full of weird dreams the other night. While her head bobbed back and forth Johnny was explaining the uses of her now finished uniform.<p>

"Did you get all that?" Johnny spoke to the sleeping seventeen year old.

Lenalee sighed. "Celia!"

"W-What!" she snapped awake at the shouting.

"You fell asleep," Lenalee said worried. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Yeah, I did," she said with a big yawn.

"Did you listen to what I said?" Johnny asked.

"The uniform's sturdy and should keep me guarded against normal attacks. It last through plenty of beatings and the wheather too. It's gonna be good for movement with my kwan dao. Oh!" She raised a finger in epiphany, "And that the shorts I ordered are giong to be fitted and not tight like I wanted them since Lenalee said no to that."

"You'll get tired of tight clothes soon if you wear it anyway," Lenalee said a little surprised she heard everything he had said to her even through her half asleep state.

"I'm sleepy not mentally imperative," she said picking up the box with the uniform in it. "I'll say, how bout I just change into it and see how it fits."

"That would be good," Johnny agreed. "I'll be able to make arrangements now if you tell me."

"I'll go then," she said taking it into her bathroom. After ten minutes she came out fully changed.

"It looks good on you!" Lenalee chirped happily.

"How does it feel?" Johnny asked adjusting his glasses.

"A bit odd," she mumbled to herself trying to fix her jacket. This was how it was. She had a dark blue tank top on tucks into her short fitted black shorts. On top of the tank top she had a black with silver trimmed jacket with the Rose Cross on the left breat pocket. The jacket itself was sleeveless and her hands were covered by black leather gloves. She wore black hunting boots for any kind of weather. Her hair that was usually up in a ponytail wasn't. It was the morning and she usually slept with her hair down to cushion her head since she didn't like using pillows. Let down, her hair was wavy and long up to her knees. Her bangs reached her shoulders and slightly hid her eyelids.

"With your hair up it might be better," Lenalee suggested getting a ribbon.

"Leave it," Celia said sitting down on the floor cross legged. Her hair cradled her body in a cacoon. "I haven't really cared for it since I left. The only reason I let it grow was because you didn't like my hair being short but I did. If it's long it's a hindrance when fighting."

"That's why you kept it up like that," Johny said getting the reason for the intricate ponytail that made it look like her hair was no more than shoulder length. Lenalee grabbed a comb and came behind Celia and sat there and began combing her hair.

"You don't have-"

"I want to," Lenalee said with a smile. "I'm glad I was part of what you remembered when you were gone."

Celia only blushed and let her do it. She sat there for the longest time until Lenalee's golem beeped twice while lighting and Komui's voice interrupted them.

"Lenalee, could you bring Celia-chan to my office please?"

"What for?" she asked both turning to the golem.

"I have a mission for her."

"Great," Celia said slouching her shoulders.

"Come on," Lenalee said with a smile. "It'll be the first mission you'll go to since you came back."

"Yeah sure," Celia said following after her while trying to put her hair up as well as she could. "Thanks again Johnny!"

"No problem. Be careful out there!" he called.

**~xXxXxXx~ **

"Ah!" Celia exclaimed noticing who was inside the office already. The switched turned on by itself again. She jumped over and cuddled Allen's head in her arms while cooing him. "Al-chan's here!"

"Al?" Allen repeated trying to pry off her arms.

"What're you doing here?" Kanda spoke up.

"Huh?" Celia said stopping with Allen. "You're here too?"

Komui cleared his throat taking their attention to him. "The three of you will go to this mission."

"Great!" Celia said sitting in between the two guys. "Where we going?"

"You seem to comply too easily Celia-san," Allen said noticing how different switched Celia and the normal version were.

"That's not it at all," Celia said getting a folder from Lenalee who was passing them to the trio. She glanced over at Komui and smirked.

"You'll be deployed to southern Italy. Innocence has been spotted there and it may be taken by Akuma. Your job is to destroy the enemy and secure the Innocence," Komui explained. They were told to leave that night. While Kanda left and Allen was led by Lenalee to get his uniform, Celia stayed behind. "You should go prepare for the mission."

"Will you be using your little device?" she said raising her left wrist with the unfashionable bracelet.

"As long as you're bound to that objective. Until you let it go I won't remove that," he said seriously.

"Alright," she said shrugging her shoulders. "I'll try." She waved at him goodbye. Once outside she smirked and mouthed, _"...not."_

That night they left for the ghost town of Matel. "Why the hell are you reading that while we're trying to catch the train?" Celia asked seeing how Allen was reading the intel while pursuing a moving train.

"There's still something I don't understand," Allen called over the ruckus.

"Worry about the train first!" Kanda shouted at him angry.

"Please hurry," the Finder called ahead of the three. "The train has come!"

"What!" Allen called shocked. "We're going on that!"

"For being cute you whine a little too much!" Celia called chuckling as they jumped ontop of the train. She laughed when they landed on the train barely able to catch it. "This is fun."

"I don't see what's fun of illegally boarding a train," Allen said sweat dropping.

They got into the train with ease until a worker stopped them. But the talking stopped once the Finder told him that the group was from the Black Order. Once they were given their room both guys sat across from eachother while Celia took a seat next to Kanda. Timcanpy flew towards her and she began playing with him, stretching the tiny golem's wings and tail. Allen asked the question he was to about the connection between a ghost story with Innocence.

When Kanda che'd, she sighed with a weak smile. Yep, that was the guy she remembered. Always lazy to explain things and very angry when they were asked. While he explained Celia only listened to things she already knew.

When all was quiet she looked at Tim. "Tell me," she whispered to him as quietly as she could. "Did he ever mention why I can hear it?"Tim only shook his tiny body. She sighed and stretched his wings again and shot it at Allen like a slingshot.

"Timcanpy!" Allen exclaimed worried at the outstretched form of the golem.

Celia slouched with her arms crossed before her chest. She cuddled away, towards the door and mumbled, "This sucks."

**~xXxXxXx~ **

"Whoa," Celia mumbled under her breath. They were standing above the forgotten city of Matel. "Is it just me or is this place freezing?" When the explosion occurred Allen jumped right to attack the Level 2.

"For being cute he's not that smart," Celia whispered.

"That idiot," Kanda called.

_"Help me..."_

"Huh?" Celia turned about towards the untouched houses of the ghost town. Was she hearing thigns or was that a real child's voice? She turned back to Kanda who was watching over the scene, "Did you hear that?"

"What?" he called more focused on what to do next to protect the Innocence. Kanda stood and unsheathed Mugen.

She frowned confused. _"Please...Help!" _She stood up and ran towards the voice that called.

"Celia!" Kanda called after her but she ignored him.

He could deal with the Innocence. She could deal with any survivors. She landed on the narrow streets and alleyways following the crying voice. She turned a corner and found nothing but darkness.

_"Hurry!"_

She turned to the left and saw a small shadow already heading that way. A small child? She followed it through more turns and alleys until she found herself going into a house. It was concrete and sturdy judging by the years of decay it had taken. She could hear it clearly. A crying coming from inside it. Opening the door she found a small empty living room and kitchen. There was another door turning the corner from where she could hear the crying was coming from. She pushed the door slowly open and saw the small child crouched at the end of the dark room. She appraoched the child slowly.

"Hey," she said in a soothing voice. "Are you alright?"

"Mayday," the boy's voice called. It sounded as if he was playing little sailor. "Mayday."

"Were you the one calling for help?" she said reaching her hand out. "I'm here to help you. I'm a good guy. Come with me. You'll be safe."

"_M_ay_da_y!" the boy's words began to sound distorted as if two people were speaking at the same time. He stood and turned around. The boy's skin began to show blood vessels. Celia knew what this was. She quickly withdrew the pin in her hair and invoked Xiao without a word.

"You were calling for help. Weren't you Akuma?" she said placing the blade on the boy's throat.

_"Mayday. Mayday. Maaaaayyyyy...daaaayyyy!" _The boy's skin suddenly tore apart and took the form of a huge deformed monster. Not alike the Level 1s who were usually nor like the Level 2 she's just seen. This thing was like flesh been formed into lumps and lumps over the body. It's left arm formed a claw and the body grew tenfold. It was an Akuma but something was wrong about it.

"What in the world..." she hissed narrowing her eyes.

**"Maydaaayyyyy!"** He shouted with a very loud and monstrous voice that boomed. It raised it's left arm and bashed the walls of the house making it come down. Celia jumped out through one of the windows before it all collapse. Landing on a rooftop she overlooked the monster that had come from the Akuma.

"Something's really wrong about it," she whispered to herself. The monster of human skin began to roam the alleys destroying all in it's path with a single objective, the Exorcist it had just seen. She looked over to another explosion far off. Allen must've missed the Level 2 since she was seeing it going past were she was.

"Maydaaayyyy!" the morphed Akuma called destroying the house where she was standing. She jumped off before it came down and landed behind the Akuma. She twirled Xioa over her shoulders and onto her left arm resting it parallel to it.

"What happened to you?" she mumbled. "You were a monster before. Now you're just an abomination."

"Virus!" the monster yelled going after Celia in sloppy steps. Swinging the kwan dao about, she hit the Akuma numerous times but only caused flesh wounds. This things wasn't budging with her attacks. It was probably a Level 2 as well then. A Level 2 that got really screwed over by something.

The thing swung its arm at her which she avoided. "Virus!" it yelled again. It had self-awareness so it thought. That, in itself, made it a Level 2. But the horrendous appearance was something she had never seen in all her travels. It was almost like...

"When in that manor," she whispered to herself. The humans she said had attacked her were actually Level 1 Akuma. The information that she had excluded, though, was the fact that the Akuma were mutated in their human skins. Very much alike the Level 2 in front of her.

Something was up with the Akuma she encountered. They were confined in their human skin and mutated into something else. Something that left them agonizing and hungry for something.

"Mayday!" it called again slamming the huge hammer-like fist over Celia. Putting Xiao upright she cut through the weaponized hand, chopping it off the arm. Blood spurred out of the wound. "Destroy!" it roared just as the wound regenerated itself into another hammer.

"Tough guy, huh?" she mumbled. She tapped the other end of the kwan dao on the floor making the bell chime. "But how tough would you be when I go all out against you?" The wind swept by and she took the ride with high speed. She came up to the skies and saw another building collapse into the underground.

Underground? There are more paths underneath the city.

She twirled Xiao over her head and wrapped her right arm around it as she plunged down directly onto the deformed Akuma, cutting it right in half. She someraulted back and avoided the explosion that came after the deformed thing. Pieces of heavy skin spread about and the explosion led into view an opening towards the underground maze.

Once inside and a couple of given minutes she became as lost as ever. The spaces were narrow and very hard to walked in specially with Xiao invoked. But if she didn't have it at hand, she'd be left wide open to any surprise attack by the normal Level 2. Normal. While walking around the maze she kept thinking about the mutated Level 2 that she found here in Matel and the Level 1s that she encountered in the manor.

The sudden ruckus of breaking walls snapped her from her train of thought. It was near. She began to ran even with the hindrance that came with carrying Xiao invoked. She turned a corner. Louder. Turning another she saw clawed at walls. The noise became louder. Louder meant nearer. Turning a last corner she arrived to see the Level 2 Akuma slashing Kanda right across his body.

"Kanda!" she exclaimed exalted. Kanda stood there and suddenly his eyes went dull.

"Awesome!" the Akuma called excited. "He died while standing!" Celia was ready to attack but Allen won him to it. She ran over to the two while Allen held Kanda.

"Kanda! Kanda!" Celia called reaching them.

"He's alive!" Allen informed her. "He's still breathing."

"Thank goodness," she sighed in relief.

"Celia-san," she turned to him and saw his serious. "We must go." She only looked at him once before nodding and helping with Toma.

**~xXxXxXx~ **

"How're you hanging on?" she asked softly to Toma.

"You should just leave me here," he said reprehensibly.

"No way," she said.

"We will do no such thing," Allen said sarcastically.

"Aren't you injured as well, Mistress Valentine?" Toma asked.

"Not as bad as you guys," she said with a very weak smile seeing that Toma had seen the injury on her left arm that had been brought by the mutated Akuma. She turned with a worried look towards Allen, "How's he doing?"

"He's holding on," Allen said barely but in deep thought.

"We need to find a place to rest and tend to your wounds," Celia whispered more to herself. Then she heard something faint but near. Her hearing wasn't the best but it sure told her plenty.

"A song...?" Allen called hearing the same thing she had as well. "I can hear it." They followed the singing voice into a clearing filled with sand and destroyed pillars and walls. At arriving they managed to overhear the conversation between the doll -Lala- and the human -Guzoru.

"She's the doll," Celia mumbled under her breath. The two turned to them. "Crap."

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping but-" Allen apologized and smiled at them. "Are you the doll?" The doll didn't take the apology to heart and instead threw a huge pillar at Allen. Celia and Allen jumped away to avoid it but she just kept going and going. "Doesn't look like she'll listen," Allen muttered passing Kanda over to the already carrying Celia.

"Heavy...!" she hissed trying to maneuver the two unconscious bodies that were given to her. Allen without a second to waste went ahead and stopped Lala. The moment she was left with nothing else to use as a weapon, she dropped to her knees and begged for time. Time until Guzoru died so that she could die with him. Allen was too much of a soft hearted fellow and decided to hear out their story.

"Help me bandage them first," Celia asked of him. She took Kanda's coat and bundled it into a pillow. "Give me your coat." He didn't question her but simply followed her commands. Getting his coat, she placed it on the ground. "Lay him down, gently." Allen did as he was told. Celia pried him of the shirt and examined the wound.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Allen asked staring at her.

"I took lessons from the Head Nurse. I have a pretty good understanding of the human anatomy and how to heal it," she explained to Allen while trying to clean as much of the wound as she could. "Do me a favor and go check on Toma's injuries for me."

"Sure," Allen complied without a second word. Minutes later he came back just as she was finishing. She had stopped the bleeding with pressure, now all that was left was to bandage the injury. She used his shirt and tied it over the wound as best she could while still keeping the pressure.

She turned to Allen, "What's he got?"

"Some cuts but he says he's okay," Allen said. He nodded towards Kanda, "How's he?"

"He'll make it," she said sighing. "He's not that weak." She walked over to Toma and tried the best she could with what she had at hand.

"You shouldn't bother, Mistress Valentine," Toma said with a hoarse voice from the beating he took from the Akuma.

"Don't even," she said not taking her eyes away from tending the wounds. "I'm not the kind to leave an injured comrade unnoticed. If I can prevent it, I will. I'll go back with the same number of comrades that I left with." Finishing with Toma sit there. She stood up and Allen caught up to her not wanting for the others to hear.

"How's it look?"

"Toma's injuries will be fine. Kanda just needs some good rest and he'll be up and calling you bean sprout in no time," she said playfully. She looked over to Guzoru and Lala, "Ask what's the matter with them. I'll keep Kanda under my watch." He nodded and both returned to the group. Allen sat across from the two while Celia took a sit next to Kanda to keep tending to his wound with Toma.

Lala told their story. Celia was moved but a tad bit. The other great half was just feeling merciless. Something was pounding inside her head. A familiar pounding that had always come before those urges. The ones that made her want to kill people.

"No!" Her head turned abruptly to see Kanda awake.

"Calm down," she said hissing at him and slightly pushing him down to get him to lay down. He shrugged his shoulder pushing her hand off him. This made her frown in anger.

"Wait until the old man dies? We can't grant that wish..." he said coldly. "We came here to protect the Innnocence. Take that doll's heart now!"

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><p><strong>Sorry had to cut it short! Next time's the second part and what's to come!<strong>

**Please review!**


	6. Retrace V

**Woohoo! I like this story! It's a great let out since I can't really write for WD:RD or my PH story, EoT. **

**For now this one is a great let out!**

**Now to it~**

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><p><strong>Retrace V: Going In Alone<strong>

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><p>Celia couldn't believe him. Was the guy sitting before her really the kid whom she admired when small for being so strong? In just the span of twenty-four hours he'd changed into a real asshole in her eyes.<p>

He was breathing harder and panting way too loud. "What did we come here for?" he yelled at Allen.

"I'm freaking serious, calm the hell down," Celia scolded him pushing harder this time.

This time, however, he took ahold of her deviced wrist and glared at her. She only gulped saliva to hydrate her suddenly dry throat to no avail. "You too. You shouldn't have agreed with his imbecile ideology."

"Who says-"

"I..." both turned to Allen who had finally spoken. "I can't do it. Sorry, I just can't do it." Kanda threw Celia's wrist and grabbed Allen's coat and threw it at him.

"This coat isn't a pillow for the wounded!" Kanda shouted at him yet again. "It's the uniform of an Exorcist." He stood up and took his own coat walking past Allen towards Lala. Celia only stood and watched, averting her eyes and fisting her hands. "There are sacrafices that must be made, rookie." He aimed Mugen at Lala but that was when Allen stood in his way.

Then it buzzed. Celia held her head while the buzzing in it continued. She couldn't hear what Allen was saying. Then she heard it more clearer. The buzzing wasn't a buzzing after all but something more petrifying.

She turned about and saw them. Those lumps of skin from before that had spread about from the mutated Akuma had somehow fallen into the underneath paths through holes on the surface. These weren't just any lumps of dead skin though. These had tiny legs and tiny arms with round plump heads and chubby bodies. They had no face or recognizable features but their cry was very distinctive. It was...the crying of babies.

**"NO!"** her yelling was heard by all. It was a terrified yell filled with more than fear. Something close to disdain and hatred were mixed faintly in it. But just at that instant the Level 2 Akuma pierced through Lala and took her Innocence heart.

"Mistress Valentine," Toma called. The other two were preoccupied.

Celia had taken Xiao and began slicing all of the lumps that had began to run towards her, clinging to her legs. "Get off!" she shouted hysterically. The ones she had managed to lash away would give a dying cry and turn to dust. Those things weren't human but they didn't seem to be Akuma either. What the hell were they? No matter how many times she swung the kwan dao about they would only keep coming. But suddenly all of them stopped and held their heads while crying in pain before turning into black dust. She panted hysteric still and turned to see what had caused their killing. Her eyes widened at seeing the disfigured form of Allen's anti-Akuma weapon.

The pounding hit hard against the walls of her skull. She pierced through the ground to find stability as she held her head with the other. "Stop it."

_"Observe. The monstrosity that Innocence is. The abomination that all Exorcist bear and which you have the privilage to have by your side."_

"I...don't get it," she moaned confused while the fight unleashed before her. She knew and was conscious of what was happening but her body wouldn't react. Something was holding her body immobile.

_"Kill. Kill it. Kill it. There are still five more to be given. You must give the sixteenth scapegoat. Temptation." _

Her head is brought up to look at the doll on the floor while Allen fought the Akuma. Temptation? How had a doll tempt anybody? Then she realized something. The doll's wish tempted Allen into chosing the alternative and therefore corrupted that choice. But why would it want her to kill a doll? It was already gone.

She faced over to Allen who stood upon a mountain of shots that he'd liberated while opening fire. He attacked even more turning the gun into a sword. He was almost then when the rebound hit his body. The Akuma saw the opening and charged to attack.

"Allen!" Celia yelled going his way but beat by Kanda's unmatchable speed. "Damn," she mumbled but she knew even if she appraoched they would still finish it off.

"Scatter!" the two shouted and gave a final blow destroying the mechanic huge explosion blinded Celia. At adjusting her sight she saw both of them sprawled on the floor.

"Kanda! Allen!" she shouted going towards them leaving Xiao pierced at their feet. She knelt before them and checked each. Kanda's wound had opened up again. Allen's body was weak from the rebound. She noticed then that Allen had stretched out his hand towards the fallen Innocence piece.

"Please...live. Once more...for Lala sake," he mumbled.

Celia looked over at the broken doll. Broken. The temptation was gone there was nothing else to kill in her.

"Huh?" she grabbed her head and shook it. What the hell was she thinking about? Was she seriously thinking about what the voice had told her? Lala wasn't anything like a scapegoat.

_"The sacrifices must be given. You, child, are the one chosen to do the deed. Desotroy temptation and eliminate it's existence upon Her Grace."_

"Stop..." she mumbled to herself. Wasn't the voice suppose to be gone? Cross said that it'd go away. Why was it still talking to her. It had turned more vivid and more demanding since seven years ago. What was it talking about? "Shut up!" she yelled trying to hush the voice that kept talking.

_"Go on, child. You, the one who will surely execute Her Grace. You, the Giver of Wisdom." _

**"NO!"**

"Mistress Valentine! Toma called getting her attention. "Your Innocence!" Celia turned just in time to see Xiao breaking into feathers and back into it's pin form broken and shattered.

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><p>Celia sat there while Kanda spoke to Komui. She swung her feet under the chair already bored to her wits. While Kanda was taking off the bandages she stood up and headed out without him. The doctor came busting in telling Kanda how he still couldn't leave the hospital.<p>

"Don't worry doc," Celia said a little sarcastic. "That guy's healed."

They left through the city and heading towards the ghost town. Celia was in front of the three while Toma and Kanda where following after her.

"Hey, Valentine," she turned up to see Kanda handing her over the phone.

She took the reciever and placed it against her ear, "Xiao broke?"

"It's not like it hasn't happened before," she said quiet nonchalanatly stretching a little. "Xiao is only an extention of my real Innocence. It broke because I was emotionally unstable. I'm good now, I can just summon it again and it'll be like new."

There was a pause. He didn't want to ask but he had to. "What happen that made you unstable?"

_Clack!_

Toma and Kanda both looked a little shocked at Celia who had just forcefully hung up on Komui. She skipped the steps silently and headed towards the place.

After some minutes the two arrived at where Allen was sitting, apparently asleep.

"Wakey, wakey, Al-chan," Celia said with bright smile but sarcastic tone in her voice while she sat next to Allen.

"Stay awake! You're suppose to be on guard," Kanda scolded seating in front of Celia at the last step. When the wind blew, the three suddenly notice the silence that had taken a ride with it. Allen was the only one who had gone there up close.

"Poor boy," Celia whispered standing next to Kanda.

"He's naive. Reminds me of you," he said quite straight forth.

"I want to safe people?" Celia asked to him with a slight smile. She chuckled a bit but wiped the tears that came to her eyes, "That's absurd."

Kanda turned to leave but she heard the last thing that he had said behind her back. "Then who was the one that said that 'if we don't try to safe one life, we won't safe any'?"

"Touche," she mumbled coming close to Allen who was wiping his tears. "We need to leave, Walker. We'll lose the train otherwise." Allen slowly let go of Lala's body next to Guzoru.

_The Temptation is gone from Her Grace. Now there are four left..._

* * *

><p>"No way," Celia said clear cut straight in Komui's face. It was the that morning after Allen and her arrived and after the Komrin incident and all the redecorating.<p>

"But Celia-chan!" he complained.

"No way in hell," she said even angrier.

"Think about it Celia," Lenalee said trying her best before leaving to her own mission. "You'll be back before you know it."

"If I go I'll just get dragged on by your stupid ideas!" she yelled at Komui, pointing fingers. "There weren't any Finders sent before this. All you have to go by is the police reports of something snatching the children away from town."

"Finders were sent but never returned," Komui explained to her seriously. "You're mission would be to first find the Finders that were dispatched there."

"And the second thing?"

"Before we lost contact the Finders reported sightings of Akuma surrounding the area," Komui explained giving her a folder she accepted bitterly. "The other thing would be to rid the town of any Akuma."

She sighed and pouted, "Why can't I go with Lenalee and Al-chan?"

"We can't afford using the Exorcists we have in groups. The world's too vast, it's better if you act seperately," he explained.

"We'll be back soon enough Celia," Lenalee said with a smile.

She sighed, "Fine, whatever." She got briefed on the mission and was to be sent later on.

"By the way," Komui said putting a small box on his desk and beginning to open it. "Since you will be sent on a mission by yourself, you'll be needing a golem of your own to communicate back and forth with everyone." He opened it and Celia's eyes became wide. Inside there was a small white ball. She picked it up and noticed that it was small enough to fit in her palm. "This was a prototype sent in by General Cross some years ago. It was adressed to you but at the time you had already left. It's name is...Navi."

"Navi...?" Celia repeated softly. The white ball twitched a bit. Then two small blue strands unfurled revealing bluish white wings. Spreading it's wings, it's face was revealed. It had just a small four pointed star with more a second four point star place behind the first to show the points inbetween the openings of the other. It shook twice and then took flight, elegantly. It's tail slowly unfurled to reveal a similar one to Timcanpy's but in a whitish color. "He made me a marshmellow," she said relating the white golem to the sweet puff.

"Don't try eating it," Komui said knowing she would eventually. "It seems that Navi can also record it's owner's occurances like Timcanpy does."

Navi flew around Celia's face and landed on her head, "Is she a present from Cross?"

"You could say so," Komui said. Lenalee smiled and bid her farewells to both as she left. Celia was about to leave when Komui stopped her, "Celia, please try to be more careful with your Innocence. Xiao seemed quite deterrioated when I fixed her after you came back. It might be an extention of you but everytime it shatters you suffer damage as well."

She sighed yet again and fiddled with the pin in her hair. "I'll try not to break it this time." She turned to leave, "I'll be leaving then."

* * *

><p>"This place gives me the creeps," she said to herself after traveling an hour by train and by the carriage the rest of the way. It was already dusk and the town was down the hill she was on. The town looked overly gloomy. "This can't be right." She glanced up a little, "Can it Navi?"<p>

Navi only nodded making Celia shiver. That place look like it could be haunted. She approached and soon got to the entrance. Walking through the streets she noticed that there was no one around. The market place was empty and frankly quite crude. She found a small dinner and entered, hearing the smal bell that signaled the owners a new customer. But even that place was empty.

"Where the hell's everybody at?" she mumbled looking around. The seats and tables were clean so people where there till recently. Navi suddenly flew from her place on Celia's head and flew over to the inside of the dinner into the kitchen.

"Ow! Ow!" a voice called from the otherside. "Stupid bird!" Navi suddenly flew over to Celia twirling like falling down onto her head. That was when a man probably in his mid twenties came out of the kitchen. He was well built and had shaggy red hair and blue eyes with freckles in his face. Could he be Irish? was what she thought to herself. "What the hell you doing here?"

"I was going to ask that to you," Celia said seriously. "Isn't there anybody in this town? You're the only one who I've found."

"Who're you to be asking?" he called rudely.

"Look here!" Celia said punching the counter, mad. "I'm very much irritated already because they sent me here. Don't make it any worse for yourself." That's when his eyes landed on the crest upon her jacket.

"Are you from the Black Order?"

"You know about them?" she asked really surprised that a country boy would know.

"Aye," he answered. "I live at the church by the outskirts of this town. The priest harbors some of the Black Order's workers."

"By any chance did you give shelter to some guys in white coats?" she asked with a light bulb above her head.

"Why I think so," he said.

"You think so?" she repeated feeling like he wasn't so sure himself. "Don't you live there? And what are you doing here anyway if you live in the outskirts of the town?"

"My sister," he said.

While walking through town towards the church the guy, Seth, told Celia about the strange occurances in town. Three months ago the town began to suffer of the diappearances of kids. The police found out later that the children had been appearing dead all over the outside of town. As the days went by more and more kids disppeared. Seth told Celia that he worked part-time at that dinner but since two weeks ago the owner has refused to open fearing that whatever has taken the kids will come for his daughter as well.

"Then what where you doing there?" Celia asked the question she had since the beginning yet again.

"I went looking for my sister, Katherine. Kat left two days ago from the church. She snuck out wanting to buy something," Seth explained.

"Something?" Celia asked.

"A birthday present for me," he said angry at himself. "She never came back. I couldn't get out because those white coats told us to stay inside. That it would be safer but Kat's still out there."

Celia noticed that they were almost nearing the outskirts of the town. Something felt wrong. Something felt really off and eerie. "They tell you why it would be safer in the church?"

"They said because Akuma were roaming."

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><p><strong>How's that for her first solo mission? I'm still working on it but soon it'll get back to the manga plot. <strong>

**Please review!**


	7. Retrace VI

**Wah! I love you guys! **

**Today is a day to be thankful and it's not even November yet!**

**Thanks to many people: Azura, I always love to hear from you! Pinkbeca for the awesome review! HitomiTaisho, Violet the Wolf and emosmile for the story favs! tbtia10 for the story alert! And LittleDarkDevil for all those three thigns combined! **

**I love you guys and this is dedicated to you all!**

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><p><strong>Retrace VI: Infected<strong>

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><p>"Hello?" Celia called opening the heavy wooden door of the church. The two entered the place and saw that it was dark and quiet. Maybe too quiet. "You sure they were here?"<p>

"I left this morning," Seth told her going further in. "I saw them then."

Celia followed Seth into the building with soft steps. They got all the way to the end and to their left entered another room. The place was like a small mansion. Celia took the lead and walked slowly through the darkened hallways. "Where's the Father's room?"

"In the second floor," Seth said confused by her question. "Why?" She put her finger to her lips while facing him. She then pointed to her ear then upward still making eye contact with him. He's eyes widen. She put her finger back on her lips and waved at him to follow her. Slowly they made their way up to the second floor. It was clearer now, what both have heard on the first floor.

_"G_od _he_lp m_e,_" a faint hoarse voice came from the end of the hallway.

"Let me guess," she lowly whispered to Seth.

"It's coming from the Father's room," Seth cleared her fears.

"Right," she said slowly. She took a deep breath and whistle quite loudly. The four notes resonated loud through the empty halls. Then they came. Heavy footsteps kept coming closer and closer. Whatever it was, it needed serious workout. The mansion itself was booming and shaking. "Get back," she told Seth. Unlatching Xiao's pin from her hair she twirled it in her hand all the while it grew to it's original size. Holding it with her right hand she looked over at the door that suddenly crushed open. Something slender came out but not even the night shrouded the flesh color of its body. It was tall and slim but had no left arm but his right arm was huge and looked like a mechanical claw. The head had no face but to the side where the ear should be was a pale and barely noticable face.

"Sister Amanda?" Seth said recognizing the face that the mutated Akuma. Amanda must've been an Akuma before this. Something happened to her and got her turned into that deformed body like all the others she had met beforehand. "What's that?"

Seth's finger pointed at something in the Akuma's claw like hand. Celia then saw the body it handled around and noticed that in the otherside of the room where it had come from there were two more. Both bodies inside where dressed in white.

"Shit," she cussed under her breath. Well that was a good start to the mission.

"Miss Exorcist, look. In Sister Amanda's hand!" Seth poitned out.

Celia's eyes adjusted to the light and saw the rosary hanging from the body in the Akuma's hand. "Let me guess, Father Felix."

_"God has forsaken meeeeeee!"_ the distorted voice of Amanda called once again and threw at the maimed body at the two.

"Duck!" she shouted. Seth followed her orders as she twirled Xiao and sliced the body in half avoiding contact with mutated form began walking. It wasn't as big as the other one so it had quick feet. She couldn't fight in such narrow place. She grabbed Seth by his forearm, pulling him along, "Run!"

They were forced ouside into the foyer were all the benches were. A cold breeze hit Celia's face with force. It became colder at night. She shoved Seth aside and turned holding her weapon with both hands. The Akuma appeared destroying the door they've come from into pieces. Most of the mansion very unstable due to the damage it had taken from the deformed beast. She took her stance but before she could attack something went right past her and attacked it instead.

"Get it!" one of the Level 2 Akuma yelled slashing at one of it's own but mutated.

"The Earl will get angry if we don't destroy this thing!" another called getting there as well and attacking the same Akuma.

"Kill it!" yet another one got there trying to fend of the strong flesh of the deformed one.

They hadn't notice Celia's presence. They were more focused on the mutated Akuma. Why would they want to kill one of their own for?

"Miss Valentine!" she turned to see a Finder with Seth. "Those are the Akuma that were surrounding the area. They were the ones who killed the children."

"What about the other?" she yelled at him.

"Only three were reported," the Finder called back.

"Agh!" one of the Akuma had been trapped by the claw of the mutation. Suddenly a blade penetrated it from it's palm. A silver substance began to indulge into the normal Akuma's body and began to corrode it's outer body. Finally it only left the dark matter of it's inside. The blade retracted and the what was left of the Akuma dropped to the floor and started to convulse. Then flesh began to eat up the dark matter and transform it into another flesh, mutated monster. It slowly stood up and stood next to the original Akuma that had transformed it.

"Don't let it touch you!" one of the two yelled at the other.

"He got infected!" the other shouted in concern for itself.

Infected. Virus. The latter was something that the other had said. Virus. She thought back then that the Akuma was talking about the Akuma virus. But that virus can't affect other Akuma. Is it a different kind of virus?

She held on tighter to Xiao. She needed to take care of the normal Akuma first. She charged over to the first cutting it in half with a swift move.

"An Exorcist?" the remaining one with at least half a brain called shocked.

"You bet," she said and decatítated the Akuma.

"Big brother!" she turned surprised to hear someone at the entrance of the church. It was a small ginger girl, Kat.

"Get out Kat!" Seth yelled.

And before Celia could react something was shot at the little girl that pierced her stomach. The silver lance plunged to the floor leaving the girl's body to dangle there. Seth screamed, wanting to go to where his sister's body was but held back by the Finder. Celia turned and found that the new mutated Akuma had shot a lance out of it's mouth that took over most of it's face.

"Kat!" Seth's voice drew her attention back to the dead kid. This time her eyes widened in shock. Kat's small body was being wrappd by the silver lance. The small body stood immobile. It was only the size of an eleven-year-old. Then it's hand tranformed into another mutation.

"But..." Celia mumbled confused. "She was a human. How could that affect her?"

"Miss Valentine!" She felt what she was being called out for. She somersaulted just in time to avoid another lance being thrown at her. She landed on the shoulders of the first transformed. She pierced through it's head with Xiao's blade. Blood sputtered from the decapitation and spurred over her. Jumping back, the thing fell on the ground defeated, and turned into dust like the other. She turned towards the first one. It had it's claw raised ready to strike. It came down with force. Celia barely avoiding it got an opening at it's side. Slicing it right in the middle, the top fell to the floor and turned to dust. The lower half walked a few steps before turning into dust as well.

She turned towards the silvery mutation who had just stood through all of that. She took a step towards it and the silver mutation took the same steps towards her.

"No! Don't kill Kat! Miss Exorcist!" Seth yelled, crying for mercy.

"She's not your sister anymore!" Celia shouted back at him. "She's not human anymore."

_But she's not an Akuma either._ That thought alone startled her. If it wasn't an Akuma then would she be able to destroy it with her Innocence? The child charged with swift moves with the lance in her hand. Celia avoided a couple of throws before falling short and slipping on the carpet of the foyer.

"Damn," she flipped back but felt a sharp pain on her left leg. Getting to her feet again, she noticed that the girl had made a clean cut with her lance. The silver was beginning to spread from the wond but before it had any time to spread more a greenish white glimmer came from the wound. The silver substance hardened, became grey and fell to the floor shattering like porcelain. The wound itself had healed on it's own. "What...?" The only wounds of hers that healed were the ones caused by the Akuma virus because of her parasite-type Innocence. If that wound healed then... She turned to the mutation that had begun to walk closer to her. She's not human but she had been infected with Akuma virus just as much as she had of that silver substance.

She spun Xiao onto her left hand. "If it's at least part Akuma, I can destroy it." The child began to throw more lances at Celia. She swiftly coordinated her way avoiding the weapons. She reached in front of the mutation and stabbed it in the stomach. The child flinched and caved in to the wound. It screamed in a distorted voice. The body suddenly began to turn grey and harden. Before it reached the tip of Xiao's blade, Celia retracted it and let the body harden.

The breeze came by once again and with it the statue broke into bigger pieces onto the floor and those slowly dissipated to dust. Seth dropped to his knees and yelled in pain. These weren't all Akuma. They had part of the Earl's dark matter in them, making them suceptible to Innocence. But they maintained, clearly, features of their human selves.

But they were something more grotesque than Akuma. Akuma were just monster that left their skin behind. These mutations -these mutts- used their skin as a way to throw people off, to place confusion and then strike mercilessly to create more of it's own.

What the hell...would create something as despicable as that?

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><p>"The Finder told me his part of the story," Komui told her through the phone. It had been amost a week since that. The town had come back to life knowing that nothing more was there to harm them. The people mourned, though, for the lives of the children that were lost, Seth being one of them. Celia had come to rest at the inn with the Finder and was connecting to HQ thruogh Navi.<p>

"They're like mutations of the Akuma but their not Akuma," Celia said trying her best to describe it. "The dark matter was destroy but some remained. I think that's why I was able to destroy them with Xiao."

"Mmh," Komui said in though on the other line. "Would you say it could be some kind of new Akuma?"

"Don't know," she said with a sigh. "But I had a sample of what remained with me. I'll take it back to HQ."

"Give it to the Finder," he said to her straight forth.

"Why?" she asked surprised. "Another mission?"

"One for the long run," he told her. "I've the coordinates to Navi. You'll be meeting with Kanda, Marie, and Daisya to search for Genearl Tiedoll."

"What? Why?" she asked confused. Then Komui told her about General Yeager's murder and about all Exorcists being broken into gruops to search and protect the Generals. She sighed heavily, "Fine."

"And Celia."

"Yeah?"

"Be careful," he said with all the seriousness of the world. "Those things have only been reported by you. None of the others have encountered these..."

"Mutts," Celia tried the name she had thought for those things.

"Just be on your toes. If those things can infect humans and turn them into weapons then this might be even more dangerous than we thought."

"Sure, cappy," she said with a smirk.

"I'm being serious."

"I know you are," she said with a warm smile. "Don't worry about me though. After all, I survived seven years outside your protection. I think I can deal with a couple of ugly ass monster."

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><p><strong>Short? Yes! But I wanted to get this straightened out. These mutts are special in this story because of certain things- which will be discovered later. So, don't think they're just some weird thing that I got out of the top of my head! <strong>

**Anyways please review!**


	8. Retrace VII

**Heehee! I love how this story's coming along! I love all my reviewers and story favers and alerters!**

**For now I wanna skip formalities and go straight to it.**

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><p><strong>Retrace VII: Goodnight's Sleep<strong>

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><p>Celia tapped her foot impatiently while she sat on the edge of the bridge. She hated having to wait. It had been a week since Komui told her about the mission with a longer time span. She was told to go to the city that was five days away from the town she had been at for her last mission. The thing is she got there a day early due to her anxiety issues and impatience. She had luckily found a cheap inn and had a great dinner at a buffet.<p>

It was already the monring of the fifth day, the appointed day. Her legs swung over the edge as she stared down to the water. Her reflection was constant although the water of the river kept a steady flow.

"Hey, Navi?" The little golem's wings hit against eachother making a noise like that of a bell being hit. This told Celia that the white golem was listening to her every word. "Do you think I'll ever find my family?" The bell sound rung three times just before Navi flew over and snuggled around her shoulders and ended up on her left side cuddling to her neck. "You're such a cute pet, Navs," Celia said sarcastically while chuckling to herself.

"What's a lovely miss doing alone in the middle of the day, I wonder?"

Her head turned to the left and look at who spoke to her. It was a man with shaggy gold hair and heterochromatic orbs observed her, the left ice blue while the right a red wine. Under those eyes He was dressed perhaps a little too elegant but she saw the organ grinder and figured it was just his normal work attire. The stereotypical thought in Celia's head was 'where's the monkey?'.

"I have none if you were wondering," the man said smiling from ear to ear.

Her eyes widened, "No what?"

"Monkey," he said bowing before her. "The name is Janus. Janus Kaleido. I am but a low organ grinder with no pet but that win a fair amount from the kind people of towns and cities. The question that about the pet is inquired plenty by children. I enjoy seeing smiles on people however I am displeased at seeing such a sad look upon your beautiful face, young miss."

"I looked sad?" she repeated a little surprise but not really buying the guy's act.

"Why, most certainly you did," Kaleido called exarperated by her disbelief. "A young, lovely lady alike yourself should never wear a frown upon her face. You are rather beautiful," his hand drew closer to her face. "And such beauty-" his hand snapped back and intertwined in his fingers was a single white rose bud. "Only a smile can enhanced it." Celia slowly reached for the flower's stem. She caressed the white petals closed in on themselves and a smal smile crept on her lips. "Yes, only a smile can due you grace." He suddenly perked up right away with a smirk on his face. "Well, I better get going. I have plenty of work ahead of myself." He waved at Celia, she faintly waved back. "Adieu, fair lady." He walked away while turning the handled of the box.

She snorted a bit and looked at the bud, "What a strange man." Navi came out and suddenly growled. "Navi?" Suddenly a line drew right in half of her face and opened wide revealing jaws that nipped the flower right off the stem. "Navi!" But the golem had already began chewing and swallowed letting out a soft sigh.

Celia grabbed Navi by the wings as the little thing wiggled. "I'm going to snap those wings off of you for that!"

"When everything else fails, huh."

Celia turned when she was about to take one of Navi's wings. Kanda stood there with two others. An overly built man, very tall, fairly dark skin and with not that much hair left. The other was perhaps Kanda's age or a year older. He was definitely taller than Celia but who wasn't, and he had bandages and a black pointy hooded coat.

"Oh wow," she said not at all amused. She twirled the remaining stem of the flower and threw it at the river. "Look who finally decides to appear." She turned and stood before the three.

"Hello," she took the iniciative in introductions. "My name's Celia Valentine. I'm going to be working with you for this mission."

"Nice to meet you, Celia," the overly built man said with a smile but not looking at her. Her eyes narrowed at his and saw the whiteness. He was blind. "My name's Noise Marie."

"A brat was sent with us?" the other one said. A vein popped on Celia's temple but she cleared her throat trying to ignore it. "The name's Daisya Barry."

"Komui told me about you," Kanda said straight forth. "Let's get going."

"Yeah, that guy won't stay too long in one place for too long," Daisya said while they walked onwards. Daisya was beside Marie and Celia wakled one the otherside of Marie while Kanda lead the way.

"General Tiedoll, right?" Celia said perkily. "I don't really know much about him."

"He's a good person," Marie came in right away. "He was actually the one who apprentice all three of us."

"Really?" she said loud enough for Kanda to hear. "Even little Yu-chan?"

"Keep your trap shut," he warned without turning to her.

She scoffed and turned to Marie again. "So, General Tiedoll must be a real good teacher. Being able to deal with Kanda and all, I mean."

"He's either good or too laid back," Daisya interrupted. "That man only goes from town to town drawing pictures and whatnot. I still don't get how he became a General."

Celia chuckled to herself, "He must be a very interesting person then. I can't wait to meet him." She stretched and looked up to the sky. She heard Daisya bickering at Kanda who only retorted back with 'che's and Marie trying to calm Daisya down. She smiled, this would be a long trip.

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><p>Some days passed and finally they all agreed that they needed one night of good sleep. "So..." she said looking out from the balcony of the room. They had arrived already to a far off city."Where're you planning to look for the General first?"<p>

They had gotten two rooms. The second room was mostly because of Celia who needed her own. Luckily the one that they were sharing had three beds.

"We have to get here first," Kanda said pointing at a large city on the map spread on the coffee table. "There were reports of great amounts of Akuma there."

"How long?" she asked.

"From here, about twelve hours," he answered her.

"I thought Finders had already gotten that place secured," Daisya said while playing with his Charity Bell in one spot. Celia noticed that that guy couldn't just sit down for one second.

"There was an emergency call to HQ two days ago," Marie explained to him. "It seems the situation is worse than expected."

"So they're sending us as back up?" Celia summarized everything in her own words.

"Basically," Marie answered her.

"Oh," she said not paying anymore attention and instead began fiddling with her pendant.

Marie turned his ears slightly her way. "A necklace?"

She turned to him with a surprised look on her eyes. She looked down at it and held it steadily in her fingers. "A pendant, I've had it since I can remember."

"A heirloom?" Daisya asked balancing his bell on his head. Kanda wasn't paying much attention to the conversation, already knowing the answers to most of the questions.

"Don't know," she said looking at it intently. She put her fingers on her temple and scoffed, "It's gonna sound stupid but I can't remember anything from before I turned seven. It's all just a big, black blur."

"Really?" Daisya said surprised. He whistled throwing the bell onto his palm, "That sucks."

"You can't imagine," Celia said a little sarcastic. Then she heard it. It was faint but she could hear a soft melody that traveled in the room with the breeze. She turned to the balcony and stared out into the night trying to find whatever was making the sound. All to no avail. It was too dark to see anybody and the sound too faint to hear from where it came from. "How pretty..." she mumbled under her breath. Then she felt a hand over her head that pulled her back into the room. "Hey!" she exclaimed at Kanda who after removing her from the balcony locked the door shut.

"You're a sitting duck like that," he said going over to sit on his bed. "Go to sleep. We'll get you in the morning when it's time to go."

"Could've just said so," she muttered angry. "Come on Navs!" She clapped her hands twice. The white golem, who before being called was happily playing about with the others' golems, snapped and her wings made that bell tinking again as she flew to her owner. She headed for the door, "Goodnight Maire. G'night Daisya. Night Yu." She shut the door a little to hard making it obvious that she had meant to escape quickly after saying the last name.

"I'm going to kill her," Kanda mumbled, a vein slightly popping on his neck.

"Why did you get the 'goodnight'?" Daisya said talking to Marie.

"Nice girl, that one is," Maire said with a smile. He turned to Kanda, "You know her?"

"Wish I could say no," was all he said before going to sleep.

"Who would've thought," Marie said laying down and turning off the lights.

"I know, huh?" Daisya said thinking of something. "What with Kanda being lovesick with a brat and all."

Kanda ignored the stupid mockery that Daisya was doing and only che'd at him.

In her room, Celia had the lights off but was sitting on her bed instead of sleeping. She was stillf fiddling with her pendant. With her nails she snapped it open. On the left side there was the other half of the amethyst rock. The right side had the engravings 'Us Together, A.C.E.'.

"Ace," she mumbled to herself. "What do you have to do with me? What do you know about my family? Of who I am."

Navi's wings tinked, the golem was tossing in her sleep. Celia sighed deeply and snapped the pendant close. She cuddled herself into the sheets. Navi came over half asleep and snuggled in front of her.

Celia giggled a bit, "Goodnight Navi." Tinkling. Celia closed her eyes and slowly drifted to sleep.

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><p><em><strong>"Don't-?" "Stop-!" "Didn't you-" "-lied-" "-iller!"<strong>_

_"Kill them. They're there, sound asleep. All that stands between you and them is but concrete. Go on, you're getting nearer. The seventeenth scapegoat, the Source."_

"Ah." Celia woke up abruptly, her breathing shallow. She sat up slowly and felt her forehead. She had cold sweat as well. The voice. She heard it again in her dreams. She hugged her knees trying not to cry but finding it hard not to. She used to have these dreams before. When she was still a kid in the Order, they would wake her up screaming in terror. She remembered that vividly. And always then she would run crying to him for comfort. He wouldn't do that anymore.

...Would he?

She stood up, in her tank top and shorts and barefooted to boot with only one sheet with the sleeping Navi to accompany her, and quietly headed next door. She turned the knob as softly as she could and poked her head in. It was dark, well it was one in the morning. Everyone was deep in slumber. Marie was soundlessly asleep. Daisya was snoring a bit too loud for her taste. Kanda's soft breathing could barely be heard of Daisya's. She sighed in relief, thanks to Daisya neither him nor Maire would be likely to awake. She tip toed into the room and walked slowly to the bed nearest to the door. She knelt down before the sleeping figure and nodged at it.

"Yu..." she faintly whispered while nodging again. "Yu, wake up."

He mumbled something and slowly opened his eyes. He sighed, tired and irritated at her rousing him. "What do you want?" he asked grogily, his voice nothing above a mumble.

"I had a nightmare." This only made him look even angrier. She really didn't want to say it out loud. It kind of shamed her to still be scared of bad dreams. But these somehow terrified her beyond words. "It's telling me to kill again." His eyes widened. "Can I sleep here with you guys?"

Kanda's eyes stared at hers in the dark. The saddened look in hers told him she wasn't lying. Nothing close to that. He sighed and wiped his whole face with his hand. He sat and got up from the bed taking one of the sheets and one of the two pillows on his bed. "There."

She looked up at him, "Are you sure?"

"Just take it and go to sleep before I regret it and make you sleep on the floor," he mumbled. Putting the pillow on the floor next to his bed, he laid there and covered hismelf with the blanket. She smiled and stepped over him onto the bed. She snuggled there covering herself and the sleeping Navi.

"Thank you...Yu" she said softly. The slightest sound of tinking bells that sounded alike chimes slowly but surely lulled her to sleep. The familiarity and warmness cozed her body and mind, shutting the voice for good over the night.

Since the past seven years, it was the best sleep she'd ever gotten.

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><p><strong>AWWWWWWW!<strong>

**How cute! Yu-chan gave her his bed to sleep on! And he got the floor! Haha XD**

**Well how was that? **

**Please review and tell me!**


	9. Retrace VIII

**Weeee!**

**I loved the last chapter! Well hoped you liked it too cuz here's the next one.**

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><p><strong>Retrace VIII: Scarred<strong>

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><p>Tinkling. Celia lifted her hand half asleep wanting the peace to last longer. More tinkling. She waved her hand around again. Even more tinkling. She cringed her nose and eyes before opening them as she always did. Right in front of her face was the white golem. It's wings tinkled again. She could see light. Was it morning already? She sat up letting the sheet fall off her shoulders and stretched. She took a step off her bed and onto the floor.<p>

It was all good until the 'floor' called out in sudden surprise, jerking her back.

"Hey!" Kanda pushed her leg back making her flip over on the bed and land on the floor with a loud_ thud_ that woke up the other two.

She'd hit her bottom and was whimpering about it, "What the hell Yu!"

"You're the one who stepped on me," he called just as angry and awake as her.

"What happened?" Marie called somewhat awake.

"What's Valentine doing here?" Daisya asked yawning.

"I'm here," Celia said getting up. Navi flew by her side. "That's all you need to know." She walked over to the door and went out, slamming it shut.

"Brat," Kanda called after her for stepping on him.

"I heard that!" she shouted from her room and knocking on the wall twice.

"She's got damn good ears," Daisya said already going in to the bathroom.

"What was Celia doing here?" Marie asked once the nosy Daisya was out of ear shot.

"Che," was Kanda's only answer. Marie then knew that he wouldn't answer anybody of the why.

Celia began to change into her uniform. "Jerk," she called.

"_I_ heard that," Kanda called with a loud voice over to her.

"Oh, you can hear me?" she called sarcastically. "Sorry. What I meant to say was," she cleared her throat. "Asshole!" On the guys' room Marie chuckled softly to himself. Kanda glared daggers at him and Marie only chuckled more.

"Navi," Celia called once dressed to her golem. "Hey, Navi. C'mon, let's go." The small golem dug it's way from the sheets and flew over to her. "Hope we gind the General soon. I'm getting tired of running around."

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><p>Celia turned a corner while running away being bathed in the shadows. She finally found herself hidden behind alleys inbetween damned houses.<p>

She panted trying to get her breath back. Navi hidden under her jacket came out barely as static hit it.

"-zzt!"

"Argh," Celia exclaimed in a hiss from the high pitch noise that came from Navi. "What?" she hissed back.

"Whoa-zzt-down, brat."

"Daisya?" Celia called. "Damn, you have a shitty reception."

"My golem's-zzt- acting up lately," was all Celia could hear from Daisya's side.

"What are your locations?" Kanda asked first and foremost.

"May-zzt- 3km east of-zzt- large, weird tow-zzt." Celia pursed her lips, he majorly needed a new golem.

"I think I'm 5km west of said place," Marie said.

"Um," Celia looked about for the landmark they had all specified. "I'm...I'll say bout 3km north of the tower. Maybe and a half."

"I'm South," Kanda said simply. She scowled, way to go with the details.

"It's gonna be-zzt- long night," Daisya called.

"Looks like it," Celia called back to them.

"I hear the Akuma noise everywhere. We've entered their territory," Marie asserted.

"Let's rally."

"Fine idea by me," Celia interrupted him.

"We're all 10km from eachother, it'll be easier to track eachother by our golems," Kanda finished.

"Then Kanda, Cely, and I'll meet up with you, old man Marie," Daisya's sentence for one could be heard clearly.

"The time?" Marie asked at last.

"By dawn."

Celia turned to Navi who had flown beside her now. Celia took the pin from her ponytail and twirled it to it's normal size. "Let's go Navs. We've got a long night ahead of us." For Celia it wasn't that hard to fight mere Level 1s and 2s.

Two and a half hours in she was already tired though. There were definitely not a chorse themselves but the quantity was overwhelming for only one person. She had landed herself in one street. It was dark except for the lightposts that gave off circles of light. She halted to get air and noticed the silence of the place. She could hear the explosions of the others' fights but here there was nothing but echoes.

Then she heard something out of it. A small squeaky sound came from the shadows. It made her reacted and aim at the place but there was no one there. She was confused the moment she saw nothing but shadows there. She lowered her kwan dao for a moment and looked towards the shadows with a more keen eye. Then she heard small squeaks and then a bigger squeak. Her eyes widened at what she saw. It was just a shadow or small stature that was somewhat transparent. The head suddenly turned towards Celia and it got startled. It began to run away but soon enough it tripped on it's own feet and fell on its face making that loud squeaky noise.

Celia snorted a bit. The thing seemed defenseless and somewhat...cute. Suddenly she heard a great explosion nearby her location. She turned it's way but before she could go on the little shadow thing squeaked again as it clung to her leg apparently attempting to stop her.

"What's your problem?" she called trying to pry the shadow kid off but unable to touch it. It squeaked again while looking at her and then disappeared in thin air. "What the hell was that about?"

"...killing-zzt-zzt-...you-zzt...zzt-will be fun-zzt-..."

She heard them from Navi and it was static. "D-Daisya?" she called into Navi but nobody responded. She headed towards the explosion near her. She turned a corner and arrived at the point the where a tunnel gave way to the center of town. Coming out of it was a man in a dark tuxedo with a top hat and dark skinned.

"Civilians should have evacuated already," she said aiming her kwan dao at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, well, well," he said with a tip of his hat foward. "A lady Exorcist? Never seen one of those before. You're a catch, young lady."

"Ha," she smirked. "Don't even try." She charged at him but never made contact. Instead both Xiao and her went right through the man's body and landed on the otherside. She halted and turned on her heels to see the man's back.

"You've got speed," he said and looked over his shoulder. "But not strength."

The stigmata on his forehead was visible by the way he tipped his hat back. Her eyes widened and something in her snapped. She could hear a long siren on the back of her head. "A..." Her hands began to sweat, she felt her pulse accelerating, her pupils were turning to slits, her muscles were tensing up. This wasn't because of fear. Oh no, this seemed like something bigger. "...Noah."

"Say lovely miss," his smile suddenly turned into a horrifying smirk from ear to ear. The grip that Celia had on Xiao suddenly tightened and she felt something pierce through her palms. It hurt. "What's your name?" He didn't see him but instead felt the pierce of something on her chest as it went through her. The hit took the air from her lungs in a hit and her visioned blur. She felted his breath upon her ear, "..." Her eyes widened but she saw nothing. Before darkness took over, she heard a small click on the back of her head and then a squeak.

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><p>Dawn came. Kanda and Marie both stood silent at the rendevouz point where only Daisya's golem was. Of Celia there was no trace.<p>

"Daisya's golem," Marie called. "Celia nor Navi are here either."

Kanda was about to go towards Daisya's body when he heard a very distinctive tinkling. He turned to find Navi there, quite hysteric. She went over to Kanda and started to pull on him with his mouth.

"Is that-" Marie called putting his fingers on his headphones.

"Where is she Navi," Kanda stated. Navi nodded and darted off. Both followed her as quickly as possible and finally found her near an dead end alley. With her head low she was sitting against the wall, her clothes and loose hair bloodied.

"Kanda, I can't-"

But Kanda ignored Marie and instead went straight to Celia. He knelt before her and began shaking her. "Celia. Celia, wake up." No response.

"Kanda," Marie tried again. "Kanda!"

"What?"

"I can't hear a heartbeat," he said straight forth. Kanda's expression turned mad for an instance. Navi went up and snuggled under Celia's neck like she always did. Marie lowered his head, said a smal prayer and place a hand on Kanda's shoulder. "I'm sorry Kanda. She was a friend of yours but we have to contact HQ to take care of the bodies."

"Let's go," he said standing to leave. Marie followed in slow footsteps.

"...u..."

Marie turned to the body. She wasn't moving but he heard something. "Kanda." Kanda only looked over his shoulder.

She wasn't moving but her mouth moved and barely brought out the lone syllable, "...Yu..." Kanda ran over to her while Marie followed suit. Kanda help her sit right making her cough several times, clearing her airway. Her breathing was back in small intakes.

Marie listened for awhile and heard the faint sound of her heart pumping blood, "How...?"

"How're you," he asked her.

"Like I fell from a ten story house," she mumbled sarcastically. She coughed again and winced. Her hand slowly rose to her chest. That's when Kanda saw the gaping wound on her, a hole pierced through flesh and muscle. It was almost a miracle that she survived.

"What happened?" Marie asked.

"The man," she mumbled trying to remember. "He pierced something through me. I heard something else and just black out." She coughed again, more violently.

"We need to care for her wounds right away," Marie called. Kanda picked her limp body in his arms taking her away.

"Na...vi," she whispered. The tinkling came and Navi came into her eyesight. She smiled slightly, her face smeared with blood, "Thank goodness." And for the second time that day, she fainted.

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><p>Her eyes slowly fluttered open. She was in a white room. White was all her sight caught at the moment. Then came touch. She felt something nice and cushiony underneath her body. She also felt her own breath and air coming from something on her mouth and nose. Then came sound.<p>

"How is she?" Marie's voice came into her ears. He wasn't that far away. She heard the sound from behind her head.

"It's a surprise that she survived through the night without any attention." The doctor must've never seen something alike her injuries before. "We were able to close to wound. Am I, actually, quite shocked at how fast she has healed but the scarring will be inevitable."

"That won't be a problem," Kanda said. Why would he say that?

"Well, seeing as she is a young girl," the doctor retorted. "I wouldn't expect less if she were shocked by the scars she has to live with now." She was turned towards the opposite wall where a window stood.

"Master Kanda, Master Marie," another voice came in. A Finder, sent in by the Order. "Preparations have been completed. We will be transporting Master Barry's body back to HQ." The sun was out, it must've been the same day from... Her hand twitched once.

"Do us a favor and take her back as well," Kanda called. Her hand twitched once and then again. She didn't want to leave. She tried moving her hands but found it hard to. Get up, she told herself. You have to, her hands moved back forcing her to sit up, get up!

"Stop it right there!" the doctor came just in time seeing her sit up. She was panting but she was slowly getting her strength back.

"Don't force yourself, Celia," Marie told her coming close. "You were badly wounded."

Her eyes glared at Kanda who was watching from the doorway. She removed the oxygen mask on her face and spoke in pants, "I'm going...with you guys."

"You are going nowhere like that young lady," the doctor reproached her. "You are in a critical stage. Your heart was fortunately missed but you lost a lot of blood. You need to rest for no less than six months for those injuries to recover."

"I don't have time for resting," she said ripping the I.V. from her arm.

"Young lady!"

But she only ignored him and tumbled her legs over the edge of the bed. It surprised her that she didn't feel the pain from a few hours ago. It all was just gone. Only a slight sting was on her chest.

"Listen for once in your life," Kanda called standing before her.

She wasn't lisntening to him either. She reached to her chest and looked down while pulling her shirt away with one hand. Her eyes widened but softened almost in the span of a second.

"Big scar," she said with a jocking tone. Of course it was. It was almost the shape of a diamond and a slight pink color. The largest portion was right between her breasts while one tip reached the bottom of her them the other reached the top. In short, it messed up one of the two things that made her a woman. "Ugly scar." She cupped her face and took in a big breath. "Doesn't matter anyway. I don't plan on sleeping with anybody anytime soon. What matters now is that I need to leave with you guys."

"You're giong nowhere," Kanda called.

"Watch me," she hissed standing up.

"You don't get it," Kanda hissed back unsheathing Mugen and putting it against her throat. She wasn't amused but the doctor was having a heart attack of his own. Marie was trying to calm him down but to no avail. "You're going to stay. Even if I have to tie you down to the bed and let HQ take you in restraints."

"And you," she took Mugen by the tip with her index and middle fingers aiming it away. "Don't get that I need to finish this mission."

"You'll die if you force yourself," the doctor exclaimed.

Celia snorted, "I'll just keep try until then. I can't be scared of dying forever."

"We've contacted Komui already, Celia," Marie told her getting her attention. "He's ordering you to go back to HQ. He's taking you off the mission."

"Hell to the no," she mumbled. "I'll call him myself and get that annuled. I'm going no matter what."

"What's so damn important that you want to get yourself killed?" Kanda asked. She stood up wobbly as if walking on her legs for the first time. Once getting her balance she walked over to Kanda and slapped his chest, hard.

"That my dear, Kanda, is something I have do not need to tell you. You know the answer to that already," she said with a smile. "I wond has never stopped me. It won't start now. Besides-" She went over to Navi who was lying down on the bed. Celia showed her the black wrist bracelet. Navi sniffed it and suddenly, jaws opene, took a bite off the electronic. Making a gap large enough, Celia let her wrist free of the tracking device. With her index finger aloft she winked at them, "Since when I have been known for following orders?"

Marie sighed but smiled, "Are you sure you can continue?"

"Hey, I'm a big girl," she said showing of her biceps that were considerably large for a girl yet not exaggerated. "I can take care of myself."

She turned to Kanda with her hands behind her back, "So, what you say?"

He looked at her stupidly smiling face and sighed. "Just don't become a burden later on."

"Yes, sir!" she called saluting him. She clapped her hands together, "Now, first things first. Where can I find the nearest buffet?"

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><p><strong>A lot happened in this chapter. What the hell happened? Wasn't she supposed to have been killed by Tyki! You'll find answers to that later on!<strong>

**Please review!**


	10. Retrace IX

**We got through a sad part but moving on to another one.**

**Happy with how many people are reading this story. To me it means I'm doing a god job writing!**

**Well without further ado here you go guys!**

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><p><strong>Retrace IX: The Self-Lying Being<strong>

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><p>They had been walking for all last night and the next morning. It was already afternoon and a little hot to say the least.<p>

"Huh?" Celia spotted someone at the end of the rocks and sand. She took two steps and jumped but nothing. Her hair bobbed up and down now being let down and held by a tiny bread done on the bottom strands of her hair, so it didn't bother her; this also left Xiao as not a pin for a ponytail but the simple crystal ball instead that was pinned on the braid as an accesory. She could easily handle it. Since her hair was long enough it went over her shoulder. She could get Xiao that way. Her bangs were long as well and flew up and down with her hair. The bag she carried over her shoulder went up and down with all of her. Two steps and jump and she saw something this time. "I see someone up ahead."

"I hear it too," Marie said. Reaching someone cloaked that Celia didn't recognize, Kanda called out to the person.

"General." The man turned making a bubble of gum. Celia studied him. So that was the person they had searching for all this time. He had messy greying hair done into a ponytail and mustache and unkept beard plus huge rimmed glasses. He wore the usual black with gold trim uniform of the Generals and was carrying a lot of art materials. The bubble burst and he smiled, "Hey! Long time no see!"

Her eyes saddened a bit. He was so happy but they had to tell him about Daisya. Ten minutes and after finishing the story, the General was sobbing and snotting. He removed his glasses wipping his tears with his sleeve. Celia took out a hankerchief and handed it to him.

He only took it without looking at her and wiped some away but more came, "I see...Daisya has died. W-What sorrowful news." He began talking about how he used to get pranked by Daisya and how he broke his glasses with his Charity Bell. Marie told him that his body had already been transported to headqueaters. Kanda then told him that Charity Bell had been stolen.

"General Tiedoll," he said afterwards. "Just this time, please return with us." Tiedoll only placed his glasses back on and began drawing something. He asked Marie if Bodrum Daisya's hometown which he answered yes to. He drew something, completely ignoring Kanda's statement of the enemy hunting down Generals and the Innocence they carried. Tiedoll however only drew the city and burned the drawing saying that it was a present for Daisya.

"I won't go back," he finally said to them. "We're in the middle of a war and I must complete the mission given to the Generals. Besides..." he let the ashes of his drawing being blown by the breeze. "I need to keep looking for new Exorcists. If God has not abadoned us, he will send us new apostles."

Celia, confused turned to the two. Kanda lowered his head, Marie only smiled. She figured this was normal from the General.

"We will go with you, General Tiedoll." To this, the General only smiled. He wiped his tears away and for them to keep going on forth. There was a lot of ground to cover.

"You're a new face I haven't had the pleasure to meet before," he said looking at Celia.

"Oh, my bad," she said with a small smile. "My name's Celia Valentine. It's nice to meet you."

He chuckled, "It's nice to see a bright face once in a while."

Celia smiled wholeheartedly, glad that she could make her superior a tad bit happier than what he felt. Squeak. "Huh?" she turned about hearing a familiar sound.

"What's wrong?" Marie asked not hearing her footsteps. She looked over to shadowy places and found something out of place.

"Wait just a moment," she told them as she went around one of the boulders. The shadow kid was looking around for her unable to find her. She suddenly kicked it softly and made it fall on it's face. The others saw the black shadow figure that fell on it's face and stood back up, except Marie who heard the distinctive squeak.

"What is that?" he asked unable to see.

"Wait!" Celia called to Kanda who had already unsheathed Mugen and aimed it at the shadow. She ran over to it, "Don't hurt it."

"It's a freaking shadow," Kanda hissed mad at her already.

"But he won't hurt us," Celia said with a smile. She felt the sudden push seeing as the shadow began to try and push her to walk along the way. "H-Hey! What's wrong?" But her quesiton was answered by the sound of heavy footsteps. She turned about and saw something beyond the road. Something that looked deformed and was dragging something beside it. The shadow kid squeaked one last time before it completely disappeared.

"What's that?" Tiedoll asked adjusting his glasses.

"I can't hear the noise of Akuma anywhere nearby," Marie said putting a finger on his headphones.

"It's too big," Kanda called eyeing the faraway figure.

It was too much for Celia not to take the opportunity. "That's what she said." Kanda's vein popped, wanting to slice the girl in half. She, however, only ignored him and took out Xiao and activated it. She turned to the guys, "Whatever you do don't let their attacks or blood get on you."

"What are you talking about?" Marie asked more than confused.

"I'm a parasitic-type," she explained as short as she could. "That virus or whatever it is doesn't affect me."

"We know about the Akuma virus and parasite-type Innocence," Kanda retorted a little more than angry.

"That's the thing," she could see the mutt getting nearer and it had those baby minions with it as back-up. "That thing's not all that Akuma."

"I can hear something," he said to them.

"What's it saying?" Celia asked him.

" 'Won't you play with me?' " Marie answered her question.

"Can you see it now?" Celia asked Kanda.

"It looks like something brought out of the slaughter house," Tiedoll said finding no better way to describe it.

"It's a mutt," Celia said taking a few foward and analyzing the situation. "An Akuma's muttation. Infected."

"Infected by what?" Kanda inquired.

Celia narrowed her eyes and noticed her enemies. The big guy was the only Mutt from an old Akuma. Behind it was a silver one. She clicked her tongue; it was a human muttation. "I have no idea." The huge mutt lifted it's hand and lunged a projectile at them. Moving aside the three others went back while Celia headed towards the enemy. Celia heard the distorted voice calling for her to play with it. It must've been a child who was transformed into the Akuma infected one by of the mutts. She touched the floor and leaped into the air hovering over the huge one. Putting Xiao in position, Celia plunged down with all the force she could muster plus the help of gravity. The blood gushered out of the puncture wound dirtying her face. She somersaulted just in time to avoid the arrowhead that the silver mutt had shot away. It was inevitable that she couldn't take Xiao before jumping.

"You're defenseless." The silver mutt spoke. This surprised Celia. Kat's silver didn't speak but it did think. Maybe these too, alike Akuma, can evolve as well.

"Really now?" she asked with a smirk kneeling to pick up a bended twig. But before she could even attempt anything something went over her and attacked the silver mutt. A sword; "Damn you Kanda! I told you to stay back!"

"I don't take orders from you!" he shouted back at her as he leaped back from the silver. He had gotten a clean cut across the silver's body. A piece of gray hardened and fell to the floor but the attack didn't kill it. "What the hell is that thing...?"

"How defenseless," the mutt called again wipping it's arm out sending daggers of silver matter out into the arm. Celia tried avoiding while Kanda bloked them with Mugen. Celia got hit a couple of times and recieved only mild cuts. The infection spread however and yet again turned into the hard gray and fell to the floor. "Your immune to the virus. That is not that much of a surprise. You do have her blood running through your veins."

"Her blood...?" she repeated the words under her breath. "Who're you talking about?"

"Didn't you know?" The silver snickered and transformed it's silver arm into a sword. "Our Master does not wish for you to know. For he intends you to die before the 21 Sacraments can ever be finished."

"You talk too much," Kanda said going for the silver mutt. But the moment he raised Mugen to attack a white and red arrow had pierced through the silver mutt's head sending it down. Kanda turned to see Celia holding with her right a white and red bow, feathers still transforming the twig she once held into the new weapon. The arrow being only the other extention of the twig. She was panting, changing a normal item into a anti-Akuma weapon took too much energy from her. The magnitude of the damage was as if Xiao had broken five times in a row. She dropped the bow and it turned into a silver stick losing the shape of the weapon as the feathers retracted back to the palm of her hands. Kanda has seen that happen before; he'd done it even. Back almost nine years ago.

She walked over to the silver muttation that had already began to harden like Kat's had. It was, somehow, still snickering. "Who were you talking about? Who's blood do I have in me? And what the hell are the 21 Sacraments?"

It cackled while the gray consumed it slowly. With a demented voice it called out, "You don't remember do you? Nine years ago! That massacre was the sacrifice given as the Ten Hearts! Why else do you think your conscious keeps telling you to kill human beings!"

Celia's eyes widened in shock and surprise. She had no idea what it was talking about. But how did it know that the voice told her to kill people?

"You will be the bringer of the 'God' they've been searching for!" It cackled more as the gray hardened over it's face. "You will give birth to it! The 21 Sacraments will cleanse Mother and the Giver of Wisdom will bring destruction to this world!" It hardened completely; the wind blew and took the rest of it with it.

Celia crouched beside it and with her forehead on her knees she remained quiet. Tiedoll and Marie approached while Kanda sheathed Mugen.

"Are you alright?" Marie asked noticing that Celia's heartbeat was beating too slow.

"I'm fine," Kanda said and turned to Celia.

"I'm okay." She stood back up and went over to the mutt that she had killed previously. Pulling Xiao away, the mutt finally disappeared. Cleaning the blade with her shirt she turned it back into the crystal ball and placed it in her pocket instead of her hair. She took a big breath and turned to the group smiling, "We should really get going, don't you think?"

"I agree," Tiedoll said with a smile reciprocating the teens. "Let's head out." The trio followed the General away, "We should be able to catch a train in the next town."

"Where are we headed, Master?" Marie asked.

"East."

Celia walked silently behind the group contemplating what had happened. The 21 Sacraments? In her mind she could swear she'd heard the words somewhere before. But then who's blood was in her veins other than her mother's? Was that why she was immune to this 'virus'? She couldn't clear her head from anything anymore. Was that shadow trying to keep her away from these mutts? She wanted so bad to forget all this but then again this was normal. People died and she would care less. She only needed to focus on Ace and finding her family; hopefully they would still be alive in all this chaos.

From afar up in the mountains a lone figure observed the happenings that took place down below. A pair of mismatched eyes glared down and a smirk marked the face of the person. "Very well done Miss Valentine. But you have already ridden Mother of Temptation by seeing the doll off and of Source by getting rid of the Exorcist. You have three left. The nineteenth sacrifice as written will be of one whom you know off but will have not killed yourself. It is the twentieth sacrifice which will rid Mother of the previous. That would be...Watchfulness."

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><p>"Why are we taking a train?" Celia asked as they walked over to their room.<p>

"Would you rather walk?" Kanda asked knowing that would most likely shut her up. Most likely.

"I rather take anything else but a train," Celia said taking a seat beside Kanda and Marie beside Tiedoll.

"Don't you ever shut up?"

"Don't you ever act nice?"

"Aren't those two friendly," Tiedoll jested around with a chuckle.

"Unlike many others she actually fights back," Marie said with another laugh.

"That's because unlike him I have a brain," she said tapping her temple.

Kanda scoffed looking out the window, "Since when?"

"Since you're the asshole who tends to piss people off," Celia said. "Men like you are pricks."

"I'm surprised you retort so brusquely," Tiedoll said.

"I hate that about women," Kanda mumbled. Celia stuck her tongue out at him and put it back in when he turned her way.

She turned his way with her feet towards him and began, "I thought you hated all women? And that was why you got along with Al-chan so well." Her voice turned sarcastic, "Oh damn and here I thought what a cute couple you made."

"I'm going to kill you," he threatened.

"I wanna see you try," she smirked. He had started climbing over her to strangle her when she called- "Sit."- and kicked her foot high up getting him on the chin and making him sit back down. "Good boy."

"You little bitch," he mumbled holding his jaw.

"Language, Yu-kun," Tiedoll reproached.

"Don't call me that," Kanda said through gritted teeth.

"Ha," Celia chuckled. She wasn't even sitting right. She was lying on her side of the sit with her neck craned and her legs to Kanda. "See, it's not just me who calls you that, Yu."

"Unlike with him, I can actually murder you," he warned.

"Well try some other time," she sat up straight but with her feet still towards Kanda. Leaning against the wall and cuddling herself. "I'm gonna go to sleep." Navi flew from under her jacket and snuggled in her bosom. She tinkled twice and then again. "I'm not gonna do it here, Navs." The twinkling persisted.

"Would you shut that thing up?" Kanda snapped.

"A please would make a good way to it," Celia frowned. She shook her head and new that the only way to shut Navi would be to sing a song that Lenalee had thought her. A lullaby that was actually something her mother used to sing to her and Komui. A song she didn't remember but Komui did and sometimes sang it to her. Not remembering the words she simply hummed it lowly to Navi. Navi tinkling reduced to the sound of chimes giving the humming a small percussion to go by. At the end both had fallen asleep and two hours in had changed the setting sun into night.

"What a strange girl," Tiedoll mumbled. Kanda was with his arms crossed trying to find sleep. Marie didn't feel like sleeping at all. It surprised them how easily the teen could find slumber after tragedy. "I have it that you know her?"

Kanda didn't answer but opened his eyes to slits and glanced over at Celia who softly breathed in and out with her lips slightly apart. He closed them again, "I know enough."

"I heard about her from Komui," Marie said. "She doesn't seem to be bothered by the casualities of the war."

"She never did," Kanda corrected. "She doesn't really care about the people outside the Order. The only ones she does give a damn about are her family."

"I came to understand that she doesn't know them," Tiedoll stated. They remained quiet for a moment while Celia shifted slightly in her sleep.

"She doesn't," Kanda clarified. "Why can't she just drop it and live like that, without knowning them."

"It's like many people in the Order, Yu-kun," Tiedoll explain. "They don't fight because they want to. They fight because they want to protect something dear to them. It surprises me that she can live protecting people she doesn't know. Anybody needs that incentive, something or someone to fight for. I'm sure you have one as well as we do, Yu-kun."

Kanda only looked away towards the window and to the outside. The night sky had no stars and was just a deep and dark cobalt reflecting his eyes. He remained quiet and only the voice of _that woman_ resonated in his head.

_"I'll be waiting...forever..."_

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><p><strong>Long time no see. I was completely blank for this story for some time. Well hoped you liked it.<strong>

**Please review!**


	11. Retrace X

**Yay! For a second there I thought I had ran out of ideas for this story :) Guess not!**

**Thank you to all of those who waited so patiently for my slowpoke updates!  
>- Azura Soul Reaver for always reviewing!<br>- DarkFlame Alchemist! Glad you liked the joke! XD  
>- and April Marciano for the story fav.! Love those any time!<strong>

**Now to what you all have waited for!**

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><p><strong>Retrace X: Chaos Completes<strong>

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><p><strong>"Let's go. You and me; together we can leave this suffering behind. We can be free!"<strong>

_"What about _?" _

**"Let her rot in here. She's turned into the weapon they wanted. You can't save her. Nobody can."**

_"NO! I won't leave without her! I won't leave _ behind!" _

**"They'll use you. Only to instigate her real power. Do you really want to be used so that more people get killed! Do you really want the 21 Sacraments completed and for you to disappear?" **

_"She has never left me behind! I won't leave her either!" _

**"Fine. Then you can rot along with her but mark my words. As long as I am alive I will not allow the 21 Sacraments to be finished. I will not allow that 'God' to be born and destroy this world. The world were you-"**

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><p>Celia startled awake in the middle of her dream. She could feel the cold sweat running down her back and tried moving but saw that all the others were quite asleep. That's right, she had boarded a train some hours ago with the General's team. They were traveling east according to Tiedoll. Had she forgotten all this?<p>

She shuffled a little and was confused to hear nothing. No sound-no tinkling, no nothing.

"Navi...?" she whispered as low as she could looking around for her golem. _Tink!_ Her head snapped towards the door where, from the window, she barely spotted a soft glowing ball fading away at the corner. "Navi!" she hissed lowly at the golem while slowly getting up and walking after the sneaky golem. Exiting the room and turning tohe corner she was begining to dwell deeper back towards the cargo wagon. Nevertheless she kept following the sound and the vague greenish white glow.

Once inside the cargo wagon, Celia left the door open as she walked slowly towards the dark and narrowed space caboose. But from afar, she could still see the faint glow and hear a soft tinkling. "Navi?" she called for the golem with no response. Dwelling further into the caboose she heard sliding and then a soft _clack _from behind her. Turning around the door she had left open was closed. At closer inspection, she noticed, that the lock had somehow locked itself on the door. She budged and even tried to push it down with her shoulder. She sighed when nothing worked.

_"Hee hee..." _

Celia halted in all her action and strained her ears. Was it her imagination...? Or did she really hear... She turned slowly and the green light began to shift and come out.

"Navi...?"

But what came out wasn't the golem that she had supposedly chased all the way through compartments. Something else, something small, round, and fleshy with shubby feet and hands and a head but no face, crept out of the space. Grabbing it's belly it repeated the sound she had heard, _"Hee hee..."_ From other dark corners more surfaced making the same giggling noise when the light of the light over the door hit them. Celia clung as close to the door as possible facing them. Slowly they began to crept towards her with their arms extended, muttering only one word. _"Mother...?"_

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><p>Navi tinkling as she shifted in her sleep. Shifting again, she nodded awake feeling no warm body next to her only a soft red rough cushion. Unfurling her wings she flew about but found no clue as to where her owner might have gone to. Then, out of nowhere, she began hearing, from afar, the distinct thumping against a door.<p>

Her tinkling became more and more hysterical as she began banging herself against he window of the door wanting to exit the room to find her owner. But she couldn't. She rolled away exhausted. She turned to her owner's teammates and began tinkling louder and louder. The first to awaken was Marie.

"Navi?" Marie said with a lazy voice being barely roused. Navi getting someone's attention began banging against the window again, this time intesifying the noise.

"Shut that thing up," Kanda grouchly commented finally waking as well.

"Wait," Tiedoll said rubbing his eyes and placing his glasses back on; his sight settled upon the seat next to Kanda's. "Where's Celia?"

Kanda turned to his side and noticed no one there. The golem get banging against the window and finally managed to crack it.

"I hear her," Marie said straining his ears. "She's...yelling!"

Kanda and the others had already gotten up and opened the door. They followed their way down to the last wagon. The banging they had heard had stopped and there was no more yelling. Kanda tried to open the door but found it stuck.

The one on the other side, hearing the handle being moved, yelled begging, "Please! Somebody get me out of here! Please, hurry! I can't! They don't go away!"

"Celia!" Marie shouted at her amazed that no one had heard the desperate yells that she had previously given. "We're coming!"

"Yu-kun," Tiedoll said with a serious tone.

Kanda stood there and took the door down with one single kick. There they found their comrade trying to fight faceless lumps of flesh with Xiao but in such a narrow space she couldn't hope to kill them all. With her face stained in tears she looked up, fear written all over her face, she exclaimed towards them for help.

"General! Marie! Kand-AH!" She dropped Xiao getting her hands behind her as the flesh child began to pull her back from her hair. They wanted to take her back towards something. Kanda and Tiedoll, who could see, could notice that way in the back of the cargo wagon was a larger figure than the others. This one seemed thin with no arms or restrained in a force shirt for it jerked maniacally. The small mutts where trying to pull Celia back towards their larger counterpart.

Kanda took no warning from his teammate of Master and charged forwards lashing Mugen against the short mutts that held onto Celia. Once free, Celia fell to her knees won over by fear. Kanda pulled her up by the forearm seeing as the mutts kept coming forth with their chubby arms extended bellowing, "_Mother...!_"

Kanda began to slash them into pieces but couldn't manage all of them in such a narrow space. Celia refused to move, clinging on Kanda's coat, unable to reach Xiao but not wanting to go get the Innocence a few feet away drowned in a sea of mutts.

"Master!" Marie called trying to push away the mutts that had begun to cling to his legs.

"I'm okay!" Tiedoll answered kicking off the mutts near him.

Then suddenly a heavy jerk threw them all off their feet. Behind them all that stood was the open door but no other cars following towards the rest of the train. Something had cut the cargo car from the rest of the passengers. From the roof a head and torso with no arms and flesh colored came out and gave out a shriek. The four were automatically covering their ears from the ear-piercing yell.

However the small mutts and their larger counterpart retreated breaking windows to exit towards the snowy outside. The caller then released itself and fell on the railroad not caring if it died.

Celia looked up first and noticed that the car was going way to fast. "The car...!"

"It's out of a conductor but it keeps speeding up," Tiedoll called over the noise of the screaching rails.

"It has plenty of railroad to go on, it had to stop someti-!" Kanda shouted over the noise. A huge explosion took their attention from him and towards the rest of the railroad. Up ahead the bridge which connected both ridges with the railroad broke off after the other part of the train had gone across.

"You were saying?" Celia called trying hard not to stutter.

"We have to stop this car," Marie called trying to find something to help halt it.

"How?" Celia shouted.

"Stay positive," Tiedoll told her trying to calm her down from before. "We'll stop it."

"Marie, hand me that chained anchor. To your left," Kanda called.

"What the hell's an anchor doing here!" Celia called hysteric.

"This train was headed towards the ports in China," Tiedoll told her while holding her back for the guys to work. "It was likely that most of the cargo was meant for them."

Kanda had climbed down on the opposite side of the car. "Here," Marie passed him the one end of the chain without the anchor. Kanda tried his beck to one-handed tie the chain around the srutdy part of the latter. Marie stood back up and began to step back but with too much noise going about him he couldn't distinguish his surroundings and fell over on a cargo box.

"Damn!" Celia muttered going towards Kanda while Tiedoll went to help Marie.

Kanda heard something crack ahead of him, under the car. But he couldn't get back up by himself; he stretched his hand out but no one grabbed it. The cracking again and something broke from the car and with the speed they were going at, it was coming deadly at his head. "Marie!" he yelled and a hand grabbed his tightly pulling him up. He turned towards where the plank and iron pipe hit the rail sending sparks off and the plank breaking into pieces.

"And to think that that could've been you."

He turned up to find his face way to close to Celia's. "I thought I called for Marie, not your weak punkass."

"Yeah, well Marie's kinda busy right now," Celia said helping him onto the car. Getting the anchort the two began pushing it towards the outside. "Just a little..." And the anchor fell out. Both turned the way it had fallen and got to see the anchor get stuck at the rail but at the speed it was going it pulled the rail with the car. In turn, thought, it turned the car on its side making it slide on the rails.

"Children, I'm afraid we're going to have to jump!" Tiedoll called to them.

"Are you crazy!" Celia yelled shocked and stupefied. The group contemplated the broken door exit which had a view of the snowy outside that came by them fast. She turned to Kanda, "Ladies first!"

"Don't be childish," he said gritting his teeth.

"Not the time for it, you two," Marie called to the both of them.

"It's insane!" Celia called holding only onto Navi.

"It's all we've got left to try!" Kanda shouted shoving her off the car and jumping out after her. Celia's shouts and the guys' exclaims were muffled by the snow. The car continue it's course and they heard it crash down on the bottom of the cliff that they had barely escaped.

Kanda surfaced from the mount of snow he was under. Standing up he brushed off the snow from his being, "Marie? General?"

"I'm over here," Marie called appearing from a mount of snow sitting up.

"I'm find as well," Tiedoll said but unable to see a thing. "Have any of you seen my glasses?"

Then a pair of legs and feet began to fling around from under a mount of snow. Kanda and Marie both pulled and uncovered the snow covered Celia who could barely breath.

"I-I think I found them," she said taking the glasses from her hands and handing them over to the General. Once everybody was up, she turned with a glare to Kanda who only glared back.

"What?"

"You fucking transgender asshole." Marie and Tiedoll only stood there gazing at Kanda as he processed what the younger girl had said to him. He grabbed her by her collarbone pulling her back and pinning her on high on a tree trunk with Mugen activated and against her neck.

He stared daggers at her almost borring a hole on her but she only returned the glare with a deep growl that came from deep within her throat. "Repeart that and I will slit your throat."

She didn't answer but simply spat on his face. "Trans-gender-ass-hole!" She bellowed every single word with disdain. "You just threw me to the gallows there! I could've died!"

"Did you?" he shouted back in her face actually bringing Mugen too close to her neck making a slight cut that came to smere blood. She gritted her teeth but only felt his hand on her neck lifting her and throwing her onto the snow. He wiped the saliva off his face and sheathed Mugen, "Didn't think so."

"Doesn't change the fact that you threw me out first," Celia grumbled really pissed while getting help from Marie to get back up to her feet. "Why didn't you say anything?" her question sounding more like a curious inquisition than a shocked question.

"It seems natural," Tiedoll answered for them both. "You two appear to be like animals that can only understand eachother by physical hurting one another into submission. In this case, Yu-kun seems to have become the alpha male."

"Like hell he is," Celia said rubbing her neck at the place where Mugen had cut her. "He's just a prick with a freaking pool stick stuch all the way up his-" Out of the blue Celia's words stopped and she dropped to her knees in the blink of an eye clutching her chest, where her scar was, with both hands.

"Celia?" Marie said placing a hand beside him and feeling nobody there knelt down to hear her hyperventilated breathing. "Master!"

"What's the matter?" he asked turning about. When he laid eyes upon her, though, he didn't need an answer and went over to her. Kanda only looked over his shoulder. "Child, what's wrong?"

"I..." Celia could barely mutter words out from the ones she was mouthing. Her eyes were dilating and her hearbeat was over the roofs. Her breathing completely out of the norm and her body shaking heavily. "There... he... killing..."

"What's happening to her?" Marie asked Tiedoll who had no answers for him.

Although she could not tell them directly Celia, although blurry, could see all that was happening. It was like watching a torn white and black movie. She could see bits and pieces enough to make a connection. A man in a tuxedo and top hat with some sort of animal floating about him. Butterflies? And there on the floor, lying onconscious, was another figure. No left arm. Blood. Butterflies around. And then cards. Cards flying about as the tuxedo man left them to scatter under the dead man's corpse. In that moment Celia caught a small glimpse, however brief, of the person dying cold. She couldn't control her breathing anymore and let her mind be taken over to let the voice speak.

_"The nineteenth sacrifice, Watchfulness, has been killed by him. Now he has been sacrificed by one of those impures. That was not his fate nevertheless the sacrificed has been made. Mother has now been cleansed of all. The Ten Hearts came first as giving the embodiment of the new god. Then came Assumption and Doubt which together vanished all existence of humanity. The Void took the emptiness that this world inherited. The Darkness was taken which lies in every corner of this earth and in every human heart. Then Gloom and Despair took away those human feelings of guilt and fear. Temptation erased the last of human emotions. Source accumulated what was left and voided it. Then came Watchfulness which came to leave in order to restore equality."_

_"At last the twentieth sacrifice has happened and thus has given path to Her Grace, to Mother, to give birth to god. He has given this way an opening from which it will be taken by you. He was the last key which needed to be turned." _

White hair and silver eyes...

A scar over his left eye...

And the left arm of God...

_"Chaos..."_

"A..Allen..." Celia finally mumbled and in cold sweat finally collapsed from exhaustion of overseeing that event onto the snow.

"Celia!" Marie exclaimed.

"Take her," Tiedoll called. "I believe we aren't far from a small village I once visited. We should let her rest there."

"How long?" Marie mumbled carrying Celia while them two walked on ahead.

"As long as she needs to recover," Tiedoll said quite worried.

Kanda only overlooked from behind. His eyes landed upon the girl who was breathing heavily, sweating profusely although it was cold, and with her face distorted in pain. He gritted his teeth and clicked his tongue, "I told you you'd be a burden." He clenched his were he felt on his wrist a beaded bracelet and only kept walking along with the others.

_"You will be the one who turns the key and becomes the Giver of Widsom. You will use all those sacrifices in order to give birth to god. All those killings I told you will not be in vain. After all, who am I but your own..."_

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><p><strong>Holy crap! One long week and I dare leave you all with this? Yes i will!<strong>

**So how was it? It's getting confusing huh? Well you'll see how everything connects later on.**

**Please review!**


	12. Retrace XI

**Woohoo! Finally i am gonna get to the Ark arc or hitting the beginning. Haha, how funny X) Well let's get to thanks first~!**

**Thanks to DarkFlame Alchemist and Azura Soul Revear for the fantastic reviews on the last chapter! I love you guys! **

**Now to the main event :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter XI: Ill Heart<strong>

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><p>A haze took over her sight the moment she opened them. She could see blurry darkness and swirls of light dancing before her. Celia tried to speak but only groans and moans escaped her throat. The light suddenly hit a rare angle on the nightstand's silver piece reflecting the light to her eyes. This, in turn, made her raise her hand to cover her eyes.<p>

"You're awake." Celia turned her head and with dazed eyes could barely make Marie's figure sitting in a very cozy armchair and next to him a table with the lamp that gave out the light hurting her eyes. She looked away and began to sit up but felt the moment her upper body took even a forty-five degree angle all her nerves acted up sending waves of pain through her forcing her to lay back down. "The doctor said that you would be unconscious for the whole trip. Seems that it only took you less than a day and a half to wake up."

"Wake...up?" Celia mumbled, the words barely coming out of her mouth as an audible sound for normal ears. She tried sitting up again and succeed ignoring the sudden pain. Trying to remember she suddenly recalled what had happened. After the train, a piercing pain shot through her chest. It focused on her heart and it was like it was being slowly squished in a firm grip. Grabbing her chest she whinced when she noticed her scar stinged. She pressed her hand against her chest ignoring every signal of discomfort from her body. She turned her head towards Marie and, with her vision now more stable, noticed the new attire he was wearing. "What are you...wearing?"

"HQ sent us new uniforms." Marie stood up and placed a brown suitcase beside Celia. "You should change into yours and come up. You'll want to catch up on what's going on." Marie then left her to her own accord by leaving the room. "Come...up?" Celia slowly got her legs over the edge of the bed she had slept in and sat up. Setting her eyes upon the suitcase she placed it on the bed and began to change.

It surprised her how the type of outfit felt rather comfortable when she was used to her usual shorts. This time Johnny had come up with a pair of well fitted jeans with two belts on the right thigh fastened with a nice hostler for Xioa in a minimized form. She wore a simple black white shirt and abstained from buttoning the last top button and didn't leave her sleeves unattended hence why she rolled them up to above her elbows. Upon that shirt was a black fitted vest and above that all went a nicely tailored jacket with nice fitting sleeves and a hood which came with white fur. Putting her black leather gloves and boots back on she headed up the stairs from which Marie had exited.

Going up, she exited to feel the salty breeze on her face.

"Sea?" Celia shouted surprised running all the way towards the small boat's railing and looking away towards the endless blue ocean. "Sea."

"You seem to be better," Tiedoll said noticing the youthful teen wide awake yet not taking her sight from the ocean. He was merely sitting there with his sketch book at hand and drawing. "You like the sea?"

"I..." her eyes twinkled as she turned to him. "I love the sea! I mean was there not to love! It's blue! It's vast up to where the eye can sea! Nobody has ever reached the bottom and has no idea what's there! I just love it!"

"Come take a look," Tiedoll said gesturing her to him. Celia happily went over to him and saw his drawing. Her jaw literally dropped at how awed she was.

"It's beautiful..." she whispered barely touching the paper with her fingertips as if she would feel water from it.

"I'm glad you appreciate such nature as do I." He ripped it out of his sketch book and handed it to her.

"For reals?" she asked shocked.

"Take it."

Celia followed his words and took the paper in her hands delicately. "Thank you so much. I really appreicate this."

Tiedoll chuckled, "You are one kind child, dear."

"Someone made me this way," Celia said embarassed. "I used to be rather rude when small. I guess traveling with Cross made me so but when I arrived at the Order Lenalee and Kanda straightened me up. Mostly Kanda since he's the one with the manners issue."

"You were a wild dog on the lose." Unexpectedly hearing him, Celia turned almost turning to him.

"Back off," she said sarcastically pushing him away with one hand but he wouldn't budge making her look up quizically. She froze. The glare he usually gave compared in nothing with the one that he was giving her now. "K-Kanda...?" she stuttered a little scared for one.

"The only reason that I let you come along back then was because you said you wouldn't become burden. That's exactly what you've become, you damn brat," he scowled and stormed off onto the lower rooms.

"Sorry about that," Marie apologized to the shaken up Celia. "He's been in a really bad mood ever since we left China."

"Why lash it out on me though?" Celia said holding herself after feeling the chilling cold of Kanda's aura pass by.

Tiedoll tapped his pencil against the sketchbook getting her attention. As he drew his eyes focused on his movements but the words that came out of him were directed more at her. "Yu-kun is a tad dumb, even I agree with that concept. And because he is dumb he has no way of correctly expressing his emotions. I believe Yu-kun of being able of great kindness however he bestows those feelings quite on the radical side."

"Yeah," Celia chuckled sitting on the railing racing the sea. "All he ever does is glare, frown, and scowl."

"He's seems to be rather mad because of you, child," Tiedoll said throwing the rock at Celia who was quite blockheaded.

"Me? What the hell did I do? I was freaking unconscious for a day and a half for goodness sake," Celia pouted unable to figure Tiedoll's deduction.

"That is exactly it." Celia's eyes widened at Tiedoll's sudden words. "Yu-kun doesn't show it but he values greatly what connection he has with his comrades. He dismisses those feelings easily however he does not deny them. He cares for Marie's and my well being. However throughout this whole endeavor I have noticed well enough that he takes yours to heart."

Celia's eyes narrowed and she spoke out of her gut, "I would believe you if he actually had one." She jumped off the railing heading back down to the room she was sleeping in.

"I wonder why she's so adsent-minded about it," Marie said to his Master.

"Because," he said going back to his drawing from momentarily stopping when she spoke. "She is the same Yu-kun. She experiences those same emotions but dismisses. Unlike Yu-kun, though, she is more dense to put it nicely and does not know what those emotions are."

Marie chuckled, "How much more complicated can those too get?"

Tiedoll laughed alongside him, "I believe there is still some time before those two have to face those emotions."

"Do you think they're ready to face things that have been locked up for so long?" Marie asked.

"Let me tell you somehting Ma-kun," Tiedoll said finishing his drawing of the horizon meeting the sea. "The ocean and sky have always been destined to be together and forced to understand eachother. The ocean is a being which is calm and adapts well swaying to it's surroundings; molding itself to the rest of the elements. The sky although the true giver of color to the ocean is vast and can change from the sunniest to the stormiest and deadliest element ever. When both coexist in harmony we live a life with calm waters and blue skies. When both collide harshly the seas turn into a devourer of lives while the skies abruptly turn into destroying winds. They both hold eachother in perfect balance and can turn eachother into deadly weapons. However that doesn't change the fact that both are individuals; that each one has its purpose. What the sky and ocean don't seem to understand though-" he turned to the ocean that was meeting the sunset and becoming nightfall. "Is that if they would work together that is when they could help eachother with their purposes. The sky could give the ocean patience to withstand mistreatment from human beings; the ocean could give strength to the sky to endure the troubles it has because of many factors. Both can help one another but only if they wish to remain together. Once they begin to disagree on being together, a fact that is unevitable to disengage, is when chaos and havoc come to the lands. Those two... I have come to associate them as those two beings. The Ocean and the Sky."

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><p>She knocked but recieving no answer simply opened the door, popping her head inside. "Kanda?" she whispered soflty. But when no answer came she simply slipped inside and closed the door silently behind her. Terribly misjudging the force she used and leaving the door slightly open, she went on and slumped on the bed. She was dead tired but she couldn't sleep. Not just yet. She had to apologize. Apologize to Kanda for making him worry if he had been. For making him mad if he was. Anything.<p>

She curled into a ball holding her knees and burrying her face in her knees. "I'm sorry, Yu. I didn't mean to... It wasn't my intention..."

She never liked it when he was mad at her. It happened twice when they were kids and she was sure that it would never happen again. She simply hated it. Once when she hurt herself again. He stopped talking to her and this threw her off her feet. Then again when she accidentally broke the bracelet he had made that she'd taken deliberately from his room. That time made her want to never again see him mad. That time he actually shouted in her face and snatched the thing away. She had cried plenty of times but none as hard and long as that time.

"Please," she said grabbing the beaded bracelet she had. "Don't be mad at me. Don't be...please."

_~Sleep my child  
>Let your mind be rested<br>Let your soul be mended  
>When you wake, the sun will rise<br>And the night will have passed  
>Once you awaken you will see<br>Just how precious to this world you have been~_

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><p>Kanda walked into the room that had been given to him after he had gone to take a fast shower. At grabbing the knob he noticed that the door was opened. Somebody was inside. He went inside catiously but at seeing no one let his guard down. He went and sat on the edge of his bed deep in thought.<p>

He shouldn't have done that, just lash at her like that. Although she did deserve it, it wasn't the time to fight with the brat. He could deal with her imcompetence and carelessness later but right now heading where the General wanted for them to go was more important. But that exact place was what unsettled him somewhat. When it came to China, he did't suspect it, but when Tiedoll said they were crossing the sea reach that place, it began to set in. They were headed for Edo, Japan and that meant that perhaps there was the slightest chance that Celia would dash out from the group and start looking for whomever or whatever ACE was. If it was still there.

He sighed for once and let his hands fall to his sides. The moment he felt something soft under the sheets his jerked back. That's when he came to notice the small ball that laid under his sheets. Grabbing them he pulled to uncover the sleeping Celia.

"Why you little-"

"A..." The sudden word that escaped the sleeping girl surprised him. "A...llen."

The beansprout. Why the hell would she be dreaming with that white-headed twerp? More importantly...why the hell did he care? He shook the thought off his head and shoved her, hard.

"No," Celia mumbled curling even more.

"Wake up-" she covered her ears in her sleep. "-or I'll pour water on you."

Her eyes cringed and fluttered open. She looked over and seeing him made her cover her face with the sheets pulling them to tight and making his sitting unstable.

"What the hell?"

She let go and grabbed the pillow putting it to her face and backing off onto the wall. She glanced up and saw his was mad again. She placed her face on the pillow and shouted something into it. Kanda wasn't sure of what he heard but he had heard it before.

"What did you say?"

She shook her head and simply put the pillow tighter on against her face. He began pulling but she held strong. She was too proud to repeat those words but was he mistaking what he heard for the usual incompetence of hers? He finally snatched the pillow away making her hide her face in her hands. "What did you say to me." He demanded the answer this time and got it.

"I said I was sorry, okay!" she bellowed at him.

"Sorry?" he repeated confused.

"Yeah," she said with an angry look but her eyes gave away that she was scared. "I didn't mean to just faint and make all of you worry. Specially you since you get mad with everything. And it's scares me when your mad."

"It what?" He couldn't believe it. He wasn't even mad at her.

"You're not yourself when your mad. And that's that!" she yelled in his face getting the pillow from his hand and burrying her face on it like a kid. She let herself fall back but instead hit the wall. She wailed a bit grabbing the back of her head, letting go of pillow.

Kanda only stood and took the pillow and shoved it in her face making her fling around for air.

"I'm not mad. I'm just bothered." He let go of the pillow and she pulled it back with a quizical look on her face.

"What did you say?" she asked confused as she was unable to hear the whole thing.

"Stop asking or I'm really going to get mad," he scowled at her making her stop.

"But..." Celia said a little more serious. "What's bothering you?"

"Our destination." Celia tilted her head confused. He clicked his tongue going back to his old self. "We're headed to Edo."

"What!" she called shocked and crawling over too far falling on her face to the floor. She quickly recovered and holding her red forehead she inquired, "When are we getting there?"

"In about three days," he answered. She opened her mouth in excitement but was interrupted, "You're not going anywhere out of my sight." She was about to object when he interfered again, "That's final."

"Why the hell not?" Celia yelled at him now mad herself.

"You're going to get yourself killed if you go alone walking Edo. As always you'd be a sitting duck, specially in your condition."

"My condition? I'm fine! Nothing's wrong with me!" she yelled and then felt the stinge of her scar and the gripping of her heart. It hadn't stopped ever since she woke up. Her heart kept feeling that tug every minute of every second ever since she rouse. Unsconsciously, she clutched her chest.

"You're not fine and something is wrong with you. That the doctors couldn't tell what is something else," he explained.

"They couldn't?"

"They all agreed on something though," he said finally. "Something's wrong with your heart."

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><p><strong>What could she have? A normal illness or something resulting of Tyki's attempt to murder her? <strong>

**Give your thoughts on it! Review please!**


	13. Retrace XII

**Sorry for the slow updating. I got a whole mess of things in my head and in school! DX Writting always helps me clear my head so let's hope another chapter of this will help.**

**Thanks to:  
>-Azura Soul Reaver<br>- DarkFlame Alchemist  
>-and sky of c-o-l-o-r-s<br>I loved your guys' reviews and thanks for waiting for me.**

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><p><strong>Retrace XII: Found, Taken &amp; Lost<strong>

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><p>"Is this...?" Celia mumbled under her breath pulling onto the hood of her cloak for it to cover her face.<p>

"Welcome to Edo, Japan," General Tiedoll said with a small smiled as he began to climb the mountainous slope. After him followed Marie and Kanda. Celia, however, turned about seeing another way following the shore of the beach. She bit down on her lip, she was greatly tempted to just leave them and go on looking for ACE. She pulled tighter on her hood and took a step opposite from them. A firm iron grip halted her. She turned with her other hand on the hand that wouldn't let go.

She pulled and pulled in vain. She gritted her teeth hiding her face behind the hood, "Let go of me Kanda."

"I told you I wouldn't let you out of my sight," he hissed with a scowl back at her. The General and Marie weren't with him so they hadn't noticed her disappearance.

"And I'm not willing to let everything drop just because you said so. Now let me go," she said trying to pull her hand away again. He didn't respind but instead pulled her along towards the way the others had left.

She attempted several times to pull back, to slow him down, to pry off his hand. Everything that came to mind she did but nothing worked.

That was when she heard a grave and low growl from somewhere beside them. It was like a growl coming from deep in the throat. Her head turned to meet a pair of mismatched eyes. One red wine, the other an icy blue. Then the shine of two large teeth protruding over the lower lip followed by the same growl.

Without a second though Celia pushed forth tumbling down with Kanda just soon enough to avoid the huge mouth from gnawing at them. They turned on their backs towards the beast. It looked like a tiger to Celia but those two upper teeth coming out over its lower lip told her it wasn't just any normal tiger. That and the fact that it was about three times the normal size.

"A saber tooth?" Celia mumbled. The beast turned and growled at her showing off its white teeth. Then before anyone could see, Akuma had appeared. Before the beast could attack again, though, Kanda was aleardy on his feet with Mugen out.

"What are you doing you morron! Get up!" he bellowed at her without turning to her.

Quickly as she could she stood back up. Taking out Xiao, she stared right into the eyes of the ferocious animal. It growled but stood still staring back at her. Before any of them could do anything the tiger moved swiftly past Kanda's futile attacks and grabbed Celie completely off guard. Catching and bitting down on her right arm, she winced and shouted as the animal, with enormous strength, whirled her around and threw her against a tree trunk. Hitting the hard surface took the air out of her lungs and the moment her frontal body hit the ground a hard paw with claws digging at her back pushed her down onto the earth.

She felt a great pinch on her neck followed by a string of warm liquid running down the side of her neck. She was set immobile and Kanda was too busy dealing with the swarm of Akuma. But before her vision began to blur she saw a string of blood being thrown at the Akuma. Each drop landed somewhere either on or near the demons and when they suddenly lit burst in an intense blue fire. While the tiger was distracted by the sudden fireworks display, Celia noticed the second straight shoot of blood that came their way. Pushing the huge cat off her back she managed to land him on the opposite of the blood line before it lit into a firewall.

While on one knee Celia turned her head up to noticed that not only was the saber tooth on the otherside but so was Kanda and the path the others had gone for. She stood up and noticed the tiger was still set on her with its eyes glaring daggers at her. When it was to attack again another line of blood shot straight between them causing more fire. Celia's eyes were widened at seeing the intense blue of the flames. So many and great and most of all so hot.

That was when something roared. Turning to her side Celia barely caught the sight of the black panther that came jumping out of the forest. On top was a little girl of about twelve with blonde hair in a bob and blue eyes. A red cape was around her shoulders as she rode the animal that was three time as big as the normal size.

"Get on!" the girl ushered to her. Celia stood there in disbelief changing her view from the fire to the saber tooth and back to the girl. "C'mon! I'm from ACE! I was told to bring Celia-sama to base!"

_ACE? _Celia thought in disbelief. So the hunch that was brought by that coin was true. ACE resided in Edo. Which meant that maybe her past did too.

"Celia!" the familiar rough voice of Kanda's snapped her out of it. Her eyes were in a daze trying to figure out where to go. She clenched her hands in fists and with a hand on the panther's back she jumped onto its back holding onto the girl.

"Take me to them," she ordered to her.

"Bagira!" the girl bellowed at the black panther. The panther roared and sped away. Celia turned back looking as the flames dissipated. The last bit of light showed her that the saber tooth tiger had escaped. The General and Marie had finally arrived only to watch her go. The one thing, though, that plunged a dagger through her was the angry glare that Kanda was giving her as she left. She looked straight ahead avoiding any further eye contact. "Hang on tightly, Celia-sama!" the girl called over the swift wind that went past her ears as they went past trees deeper into the forest. "Bagira, level two. Activate!"

_Inoccence? _Celia's thought for a milisecond before the panther's feet began to glow in a white spark. In an instant the panther sprinted with a great might making Celia grab on to the girl with all she had in order to not fall.

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><p>"Are you alright?" Marie asked as Kanda watched the fire extinguished itself.<p>

"Was that Celia riding away?" Tiedoll asked more than likely already knowing the answer.

"She's an even bigger idiot than I thought," Kanda commented turning to leave towards where they were originally headed.

"Was that the Giver of Wisdom?" The General and Marie turned about but Kanda was already with Mugen steadied and aiming at the Akuma before them. "Whoa! Calm down there! I'm not a bad Akuma!"

"A bad Akuma?" Tiedoll said quizically. Kanda, however, could have cared less and was about to slash the Akuma in half when it moved back to avoid it.

"I'm telling the truth! I'm an Akuma that Cross Marian converted!" the scared demon called hysteric about the sword aimed at it.

Kanda stood there steady but Marie turned to the General, "General Cross?"

Tiedoll brushed his beard in thought, "I heard about that before. How can we know it's true though?"

"Cross sent me here with a message," the Akuma called still worried about Kanda's menacing aura. "It's about what's here in Edo."

"Here?" Marie repeated.

"There's another group of Exorcists that arrived beforehand with another converted Akuma like me," it began to explain. "They're at main city. The Earl sent us a message to rendevouz at that point not long ago. It's driving me mad but I can handle it until I have done my job."

"To give the message," Tiedoll understood with a sigh. "Sorry to have wasted your time but I have no intentions on getting meddled in that youngster's business."

"Then I'll just give you the last part of the message," the Akuma said with resignation. "Cross said and I quote 'Don't let my little lamb stray far. What I found about her and the two other children will be too much for her mind to bare. She will break. Do not let her stray away from you' is what he said."

"Little lamb?" Marie repeated not getting the message.

"It's a nickname," the Akuma clarified. "For the one named Celia Valentine."

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><p>"Where are we?" Celia asked walking a bit away from the panther after arriving at their destination.<p>

"This is one of their old bases," the girl -who had said that her name was Lily- answered her question. "Doctor Marcus told us that if we were to encounter the Black Order's Exorcists to help them in whatever possible. But if we found you Celia-sama then we were to bring you to him."

"Who's Doctor Marcus?" Celia asked standing in front of the door of the old-looking lodge.

"He's inside," Lily answered and opened the door for them to walk inside. Once in, Lily closed the door to the outside only a little candle lighting the room. The girl trotted over past Celia and over to the bed that laid in the center. "I've brought Celia-sama to you, Doctor Marcus."

Celia walked up closer and realized that there on the bed was an old man sitting up. Coughing a bit, he turned Celia's way. Looking at his eyes her own widened. It was like looking at a reflection of someone she knew. Old and tired the man raised a hand for Lily's pampering to halt. He had dark brown hair alike Celia's but graying and dark purple eyes. He was barely dressed in a shirt and trousers but seemed to be too sick to move which why the clothes were to crumpled.

"What is your name child?" the old man whimpered out in a hoarse voice.

"I should be asking that question first, sir," Celia said furrowing her brow in suspicion. She was close to what she was looking for but she wouldn't just let her guard down just because of it.

"Of course, where are my manners?" The old man coughed a couple of times before responding, "My name is Alexander Marcus Evernly."

"My name's Celia Valentine. Sir, may I ask if something of you?" Marcus nodded his head slightly and motioned for her to come closer. Celia did as slow as she could and bent a bit towards him to make him see clearly as she drew from her neck the small necklace. Opening it she showed him the engravings that were there. "I have no recollection of who I am, where I came from, or who my family is. However, I've had this ever since I can remember. ACE has been the only piece of information I've had of where to look for my past." She began digging quickly through her pockets and found the coin to show him. "ACE in Edo, Japan. I've come from very far to this place to meet the ACE. This people should know who I am. Lily here told me that she was from ACE."

The man struggled to read the letters engraved on the pieces even with his glasses. Once he did, he lowered them and began, "ACE is not any type of organization if that is what you thought. ACE stands for the two major accomplishments of the Evernly family."

"Evernly?" she repeated thinking she had heard that name somewhere before.

"The Evernly used to work in the Black Order as mostly sciencetists. They were very much well knowned because of their achievement with Innocence. But almost two decades ago they got removed by order of their higher ups. Dr. Marcus was part of that staff who worked under the Order before the cut off of the family," Lily explained obviously a little mad about Celia not knowing about them. "They gave everything they had to the Order and that's how they repay them. By kicking out the family and getting the members of the family killed in battle."

"Lillian stop it," Marcus said softly. "The Evernly family's last experiment turned out an catastrophe and because of it we were exiled from the Order on the higher ups command. They saw the weapons we made as a threat. I believe they were right."

"Doctor Marcus," Celia said cutting him off a bit. "What does ACE mean?" She took off her necklace over her head with it opened, "Why does my locket have those engravings of 'Us Together, ACE' on it? And why did the coin say ACE, Edo?"

"Us Together, ACE, was it?" Marcus repeated in thought while holding the locket in his boney and pale grayish hands. "Yes," he said slowly in recognition. "I remember this. I gave it to my sister." He chuckled a bit and coughed. He seemed to space out into a far and devoid palce in reminiscence. "She was the middle of us three but she had always been the most mature of the Evernly children of my generation. Not even Evangelique, who was the most devoted of us, had the maturity that she had."

"Who're you talking about?" Celia said confused with her brow cringed.

"Cecilia," he said caressing the locket as a tear escaped from his eyes. "It was going to be us together who changed the course of the war with out beliefs of peace and unity. Us together: Alexander, Cecilia, and Evangelique."

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><p><strong>How was that for 'long time no see' special~? <strong>

**Liked it? I know it was a long time since I updated but I hope you liked it!**

**Please review!**


	14. Retrace XIII

**I'm glad that you guys are willing to wait for my updates even when I'm going like a freaking slowpoke.**

**Thanks to th wonderful people who've reviewed for this story! **

**DarkFlame Alchemist, Azura Soul Reaver, and Aikiri Natsume; I love you guys!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XIII: The Run of Bad Luck<strong>

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><p>"This is it," Celia said in awe while dismounting Bagira.<p>

"It's the main city of Edo, Japan," Lily answered, both watching the immensity of the city atop of a cliff not far from it. The city being attacked by the huge mechanical Akuma.

Lily had been ordered by the doctor to take Celia to the main city. Amidst their conversation Marcus had noticed the Rose Crose on her chest. When he asked her if she had found her way into the Order, she nodded. With resignation and mumbling, 'They've taken us again', he gave Lily her orders. He told Celia that it would be most likely for her comrades to be headed there. When Celia attempted to pursre the matter of who those other two woman were, he waved her away.

"I will say what I know to you," Marcus said with a smile. "However, may I ask something of you first?" Celia thought about it for a second and nodded in agreement. "Somewhere in Edo is a great white city. Inside of it they've kept my niece captured and unable to escape. I came here with the intention to safe her but the result is what you see now." He coughed a bit making Celia flinch. "Would you do me the favor of rescuing my niece? She's a strong child at heart but she cannot fight very well. Can I ask that of you?"

"Will you tell me everything you know of how you and your sisters connect to me?" Celia asked trying to make sure the bargain wasn't onesided.

"I promise you." With that Celia accepted and was brought to the main city by Lily on Bagira's back.

She turned to said girl, "Are you going back?"

"I can't leave Dr. Marcus alone for long," Lily said in concern. "The barrier the cottage had drives Akuma away but just as long as I'm near."

Celia smiled at her, "You're an Innocence accomodator, aren't you?"

Lily shrugged her shoulders, "I don't care what I am. If I can protect Dr. Marcus then I'm find. I'll go where he wishes to go."

"Then go," Celia said turning back towards the city. "I'll be fine."

"Good luck Celia-sama," Lily said before Bagira trotted away on its way back to the cottage.

Celia looked down and grabbed the tassle on Xiao. "Navi can you connect with anybody nearby?" Navi's tinkling answered her with a yes and she heard choruses of people yelling in pain and frustration. Familiar voices mingling with unfamiliar ones. Then she heard Kanda's voice along with another male's. She took a deep breath before going for it, **"Hey! Bakanda!"**

It took a couple of seconds before she heard an answer. "Leaving us and coming back? You have guts."

"I just left for a little trip," she held up Xiao and activated giving it its normal size. "But I'm back now. And I can see you guys have your hands a little too full."

"Che, says you weak bitch," Kanda cussed.

Celia smirked and ran off towards the city. It took minutes with her speed and soon she stood on a rooftop. She saw how Kanda had slashed right through the one that Marie had been holding down with Noel Organon. Another one was still free though. Celia headed for that one. "Xiao, level two activate." Xiao's blade suddenly began to glow and that shine covered the blade as if it had grown a second edge. "Diabolicus." The blade's glow suddenly turned bright red and extended into a greater edge larger than the original. Jumping into the air, she twirled to find the Akuma before her ready to attack. Bringing Xiao's blade before her, she plunged down with gravity and stabbed it straight in the head the enlarge blade all the way in. The Akuma still moved its hands about and she smirked, "Inferno." At her word the Akuma suddenly burst in red burning flames. Jumping back with Xiao in her hands the enlarge red blade became smaller but didn't lose its color. Landing on a rooftop she watched as the Akuma was engulfed by Inferno's flames and fell to the floor dead.

"Amazing." She turned to find a redhead boy holding Lenalee. Celia didn't focus on him but more on Lenalee who was injured and to her surprise had boyish short hair.

"Lena-" her words were cut short when she felt an oppressive pressure on her chest. Clutching it she noticed that it was throbbing. Celia thought that her heart was going to rip out of her ribcage. Then her eyes looked up to a main tower where a small black ball had formed. Inside of it was the Earl of the Millenium.

The throbbing of her chest increased and traveled to her head with heavy pains and then the voice. _"He's here~!" _the voice cooed. _"You've killed before. All of it was to prepare you for your true purpose. Dispose of the Noah family."_

"Dispose...of them?" she mumbled lessening the grasp on her chest feeling the throbbing empowering.

_"Of them and any who threatened our master."_

_"_Our...master..." Suddenly the ball of black expanded and engulfed the whole city in destruction.

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><p>"Ah, I spot an Exorcist!" Tyki called from above referring to Kanda who knelt with his hair down. Tyki's eyes then landed on something else. A small sphere of white feathers. Something in him rattled. A feeling from his 'dark' side. It was ravashing inside of his mind telling him to attack and destroy the being inside that spherical protection. He smirked with a blood lust tangible in the air around him.<p>

The sphere unfurled letting Celia go from its protective grasp. Her injuries were minor but the shock still punished her. Falling to her knees, her hairtie had broken letting her long hair go as the sphere from Xiao rolled away. Her amethyst eyes were wide in shock and bewilderment. Her hands and all her body were trembling fervidly. Something in her blood was running cold making her wanting to do what she hadn't done since she was a kid. She wanted to kill someone. Kill someone in the most gruesome of ways. And that someone, her mind told her, was to be a Noah. She grabbed Xiao's sphere in a strong grip as, without a word, the kwan dao emerged into her right hand while she stood up. In her dull amethyst eyes a red tinge of color began to swirl in them beginning to change them like a poisonous gas pouring into clear oxygen. She was ready for the kill.

"Kanda. Lavi. Celia."

Celia blinked once at hearing the distant voice of Lenalee, her eyes changing back into the bright amethyst. She turned on her heel to see a bright greenish crystal in the middle of the cleared out field. A hand pushed against the surface, "Every...one. Everyone!"

"Lenalee..." Celia whispered amazed. Then someone swept over from above and attacked Kanda. Celia went over for backup and noticed that the one attacking Kanda was a curly haired Noah. Swinging Xiao inbetween the two Celia managed to seperated them for enough time to stand beside Kanda in a stance.

"Well you look familiar," Tyiki jested with his fingers trying to recall. "That's right. Not long ago we caught a girl that looked very much like you." Celie clenched her teeth and grasped Xiao tightly. "Only thing was that she was all white hair and red eyes. She creeped me out."

"Where is she?" Celia commanded for the answer.

"Oh let me guess, did that crazy doctor sent you to rescue her?" Tyki chuckled from somewhere deep in his throat. "You're wasting your time, baby doll. That freakish girl of human nature will be dead soon anyway so don't waste you breath on trying to save the damsel in distress. And even if she doesn't you won't save her."

"I won't know until I try," Celia said through gritted teeth.

Then everything happened in a second. Tyki lashed at Kanda throwing him back, away from them as he stood before Celia and grabbed her by her neck hoistering her alift. Letting go of Xiao, Celia struggled to undo the grasp that took her breath away. Her legs fling with no result and her screams came out in feeble croaks.

"I don't think you heard me right. I didn't said that you couldn't-" Tyki tightened his grip around her slim neck reducing her croaking into mere gasps for oxygen. Her eyes became watery and her mouth wide open gasping for air. That looked suited her, he thought with a smirk. He wanted to kill her; in his bloodstream some kind of hot liquid burned in him pleading and urging him to kill this girl before him. This had happened with her white reflection but not as hot. This moment made his blood burn with bloodlust. "I said you wouldn't because I'm going to kill you right here and now."

"Nigentou."

Tyki was forced to let go of Celia just before Kanda landed a hit straight where he had been with his Double Illusion Sword. Celia falls to her knees gasping for air and holding her throat. Her fingers could feel the indentations that he had left from the grip on her throat. What shocked her most though was that all the while he held her something inside of her blood ran cold. It was the same feeling as before of wanting to kill. This time, though, it was accompanied by an even stranger feeling. It felt like her nerves had gone berserk sending shock waves all over her body. It was as if it were trying to tell her something.

"Get up!" Kanda bellowed at her standing with his back to her but she couldn't. She felt weakened and tired. Something had happened that drained all her energy. Then, out of the blood, something rose in the sky making it seem as if it had split in two. Then a gust of wind and dance clouded their view. Celia turned about looking for the Noah but he was nowhere to be found. Kanda hearing something went directly off towards somewhere else.

"Wait, Kanda!" Celia yelled, running after him. When the dust cloud dissipated, Celia's eyes widened in surprise. Not because of Kanda attacking one of his comrades but more because of who he was attacking.

"A...llen," she mumbled. For so many nights had she seen that nightmare. The scenes she had seen after the train that made her faint. She remembered bits and pieces but they all ended being the same thing. A Noah had pierced Allen's heart killing him. He was dead cold on the ground. But he had survived, somehow. Tears ran down her face with a smile. She didn't care how or why he had made it to and back from Hell but he had.

Running over to them, she moved Kanda away from fighting with the white clown. Allen stood there in surprise of Celia's crying face.

"Ah Celia-san, are you oka-" but before he could finish she had embraced him.

"I saw you die," she wept making him flinch. Kanda only watched in disgust and perhaps a tinge of something else. "I saw you die every night since then. I was so worried. I thought...for sure..." she cried on him.

He smiled and patted her head, "Sorry for making you worry so much."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, moyashi," Kanda suggested still mad at him. Allen turned to him quizically.

But his smile went away when he bent over from the heavy punch he had recieved on his stomach. Celia's fist opened as she ran a hand across her tangled hair and walked over to Kanda. "Do you have an extra hairtie?"

"Ce...lia...san" Allen gasped in pain while holding his stomach.

"Never." She said the final tears falling from her, now, angry expression. "Never again pat my head."

"But Celia-san was crying-"

"And another thing," she said with a smile. "Drop the honorific. I hate those things."

He smiled, "Alright, Celia."

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><p>Celia looked away into the sea while squating before the waves letting her bare feet touch the water and sand. Her hair done back again with one of Kanda's hairtie's, she brushed her fingers against the water that rose and fell.<p>

"What are we going to do now?" she asked lowly at the closest person to her: Kanda.

"It's for the General to decide," he answered. His eyes narrowed at her when she remained quiet. Closing them again he asked, "Who asked you to look for the girl?"

She sighed dropping her shoulders and let herself fall back to sit down. Like this she barely reached the edge of where he sat and was out of water. After drying off her feet, she began to tell him while putting her socks and boots back on. "ACE. An man by the name of Alexander Marcus Evernly told me that his niece had been kidnapped by someone. He had described her as white hair and red eyes. When I heard the Noah say that same description I knew it was her."

"Why drag yourself down with some stupid request?"

"Because he promised to tell me about myself." She began to fiddle with her necklace in nervousness. "If I bring her back to him he'll tell me about ACE: Alexander, Cecilia, and Evangelique. ACE wasn't a group but names of people. Dr. Marcus was one of those people, the oldest sibling. He said that Cecilia was the middle child and that Evangelique was the youngest. He said that 'Us Together' meant that the three would find a way to end the way between the Earl and the Order to bring peace."

"They sound like you would get along with them just find," he commented with a frown.

"I'm not a pacifist. Even I tend to resort to violence when I'm out of my wits," Celia chuckled throwing herself back on the sand laying right beside him. "I would like to save lives but like you said, we're not saviors, we're destroyers. I just wished it could be that crystal clear."

"You always thought that you could safe people," Kanda said. "But I wouldn't imagine you losing hopes because of something I said."

"I'm being brought up out in the real world since I came back," she chuckled a bit. "Before I wouldn't have given a damn about what you would've said. Now it seems that you might have been right."

"Will you stop?" he asked thinking she might have just gone through to her.

"Nope." This made him turn to her in bewilderment inside, the scowl on the outside. She only smiled whiled looking at his cobalt eyes. "I might change with every single breath I get from the outside world but something that won't change will be that I will always have hope for the future. I won't give up. I won't stop. Not until I'm satisfied."

"You're an idiot."

"But I'm your idiot friend, huh?" she chuckled.

His eyes narrowed at her while she laughed. She raised her hand as the beads from purple bracelet covered her forehead. Looking away from the bracelet he noticed the finger traces on her neck. The only remnant that he almost let somebody hurt her. His promise was almost broken with that remnant.

_"What's this?" the little Celia asked looking at the purple bracelet that he had placed on her wrist. _

_"A good luck charm," he said with a scowl trying to hide his true emotions. "You're always hurting yourself and end up in the hospital wing. This will keep you safe."_

_"Is this like a sign?" she asked._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Yeah, like a sign for you since you have one like this one." She pointed at the bracelet that Kanda had owned since he came to the Order. "Since Yu's a very special person to me, you're a very good friend, you'll be the one to keep me safe, right?"_

_"I guess if that makes you feel safer so that you don't hurt yourself," the little boy said looking away._

_"Then please," she said putting their pinkies together. Her words were warm but to him sounded sort of mechanical that time. "If I'm in trouble or if someone's going to hurt me promise me that you will come and safe me." _

_Kanda thought it was stupid to make such a promise since it would be one he wouldn't be able to keep for sure. But if it kept her from hurting herself then he'd try to at least. "I promise."_

_She giggled and threw her arms around him, "I love you. Yu."_

They were children back then. He didn't take much of what she said seriously. The day she left to never come back until seven years later was when he realized that he had broken his promise to keep her safe. When she came back it was like having a second chance to redeem himself. His pride was what took him up for it. The little girl he knew had trusted her with her safety.

And the girl laying beside her had learned to take care of herself and, even if it was unlike him to admit it, she had grown stronger since he last saw her. However that strength was only superficial, she hadn't grown strong on the inside. She was still a little kid. He knew that just by seeing how she cried out to the moyashi when she knew he hadn't dropped dead. And he had promised to protect that small child from any harm.

He reached out and zipped up the jacket of her uniform to her neck. This surprised her and gave him a confused glance. "They'll start nagging about those marks on your neck. It'll be better of you let them heal."

She touched the zipper he'd just picked up and smiled warmly as she sat up next to him. "Yeah. Thanks for taking care of me, Yu."

"What have I told you," he growled angry.

"What? I didn't hear you," he played around.

"Lenalee!" Allen's yell took everyone's attention towards him where Lenalee had just gone through the floor through some kind of portal. Allen went in after her followed by Lavi, Chaoji, Kanda, Celia, and Krory. Going in they all ended in the same place.

"I can't breath," Celia puffed having Krory on top of her.

They began to get off as she looked around, "A white town." Once they all got off Lavi found a weird looking pumpkin beneath Lenalee. "I've that thing before," Celia said trying to remember where while Kanda and Allen attempted to slice the pumpkin to bits. She snapped her fingers, "The Earl had it."

As if on que Lero began speaking with the Earl's voice giving them a message. The Earl intended the Ark to be they grave. Ths ground suddenly began to tremble as the buildings began to collapse. Her knees began to buckle under the unstable flooring. Then the same pain struck her chest as she clutched it.

_"Celia..."_

"Whose...voice..." she mumbled.

_"Celia... Hurry. I'm here."_

"I...know...you..." she kept mumbling holding her chest. It was a sweet female voice. Soft and gentle... and pleading for her help.

_"Come for me. Come rescue me, my knight. Celia."_

"...Alice..." she whispered. Suddenly the floor beneath her feet broke leading way to a dark chasm below.

"Celia!" Kanda yelled at her to move.

But she couldn't move because her mind was shut off from her body. It was too late to move. She was falling. All she saw was the white of the city disappearing and Kanda's hand barely missing her own letting her fall down to the depths of the Ark.

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><p><strong>Quite long of a chapter huh? So what do you think? Hoped you liked it.<strong>

**Please review. :)**


	15. Retrace XIV

**I'm having fun writing this specially since secrets are going to be unraveling soon.**

**Thanks to Sgaapje for the story fav.! To HitomiTaisho for the review! BunnyRabbit95 for the story alert! Taffdog19943 for the story fav.! Azura for the review, love u! April too for a review! :3 And DarkFlame Alchemist, my great friend! If I forgot anybody thanks to you too and everybody who keeps reading this story! **

**This goes for you!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XIV: Escaping the <em>'Noir'<em>**

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><p>"How long do you plan on waiting here for her?" a boy's voice asked from the darkness to the one encarcerated. He was sitting on a white chair playing with the chess board and pieces that where on top of a white table. He seemed to be playing both sides by himself although when he moved the black ones, the white ones would move by themselves.<p>

"As long as it may take," she answered confidently trying not to move from the chains that held her tightly in line. "She'll come. I know she will."

"You know I've seen how much she's grown since then," the boy said getting four of the white pawns. "She has new friends. She's forgotten about you."

"That would never happen," she said straight forth making the chains rattle.

"Why? Because you're the damsel in distress and a knight, like herself, is suppose to rescue the captured princess?" The boy cackled holding the caught knight he had in his hand, "I find it amusing that you still believe in those stupid fairytales."

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><p>Celia opened her eyes slowly. Her head hurt as she sat up. She didn't know where she was. All she remembered was the Ark and falling and then someone reaching out for her.<p>

"Kanda!" she gasped. Looking around she saw nobody. There was nothing in the room she was in except for small candles on the walls lighting the blue tiled floor. But besides that no one was there it was all empty walls for an empty room.

"Where...?" she asked herself. She walked on towards the white door that was on the end of the room. Grabbing the door knob and turning it she noticed that beyond appearance the door was heavy to move. With all her might she managed to open the door enough to let herself squish through. Entering the next room she noticed that there were long stairs heading up. "Is this a basement or somehting?" she mumbled to herself.

A sudden squeaking noise made her body instantly react with Xiao embraced by her hands aiming at the sound. Her eyes narrowed barely being able to catch the shadow kid from those times before tremble in fear and trip on its own feet making that high squeak noise. Lowering and making Xiao disappear, the shadow kid calmed down as it approached Celia.

"Hey there fella," Celia said chuckling at the thing's clumsiness. "Watcha doing here? Did you fall too?"

A squeak and a shadowy hand pointed upwards made Celia glance that way. At first there was a dead silence then a swishing sound kept getting louder and louder. When Celia finally saw it clearly she had just enough time to leap out of the way letting the metal war hammer whizzed past her head smashing onto the door she had come from plunging the hammer in place.

Looking up she saw what was that the kid had pointed at. From the top of the stairs a silver mutt was heading her way. Though slow, its body was massive like that of a human wrestler. With no face of distinguishable features it made it even more grotesque to look at.

It was infected too with that weird virus the Akuma kept speaking about. She leaned against the left wall just as the mutt passed her by. Taking tha war hammer in its hands it turned in slow motion towards Celia.

"Great..." she grumbled sarcastically. Hearing her voice the mutt was quick to swiftly swing the hammer at Celia who could only duck and run below the weapon that smashed the wall she had been on. Turning on her heels she stabbed Xiao onto the mutt but found that the thing was harder than she had expected. The blade went through but the mutt didn't react at all and only turned to hit air for he took Celia for a ride while she held onto Xiao. Once at a stop she pulled out Xiao only to make a run for it towards the upstairs. The thing turned out to be super slow for by the time she got through the second door the mutt was barely heading up the stairs.

The next room she found to be round and with circular stairs heading -what a surprise- upwards and tall and empty picture frames hanging from every available space in the room. Hearing the clinking of the war hammer, Celia didn't think twice before making a run through the stairs. Halfway up there she looked down to see the mutt bust the doors down with the hammer.

"Damn thing's stubborn," she hissed under her breath. Out of the blue something got ahold of her ankle making her trip and hit her head on the step cutting her brow. Turning on her back she saw that from one of the empty frames an almost human-like form had forced itself out of the wall. It was like someone trying to get through a linen of rubber and that hand of the something had caught her ankle. Getting Xiao into Diabolicus she cut the hand off hearing a scream from the frame mutt.

She stood back up continuing to run avoiding the mutts from the frames that kept popping attempting to slow her down enough to let the hammer one catch up to her. They were getting smarter that was one thing for sure. They were planning every move countering the hammer mutt's force with their blocking. With struggle she reached the next floor going through the doors. Shutting the door behind her, she leaned her weight on it. Hearing a click behind her she turned to find the door chained locked. Stepping back she heard splashing every time her foot went down. Turning about she noticed the floor of this room flooded in water a small isle set in the middle with a dead tree and...nothing else. No door, no stairs, nothing at all.

"What in the world..." she said stepping up to the isle.

"Having fun with my friends?" Celia turned to find a water person standing behind her. It had all the features of a person but it looked more like a recorded message using water to convey it than anything else.

"You're friends?" she scoffed sarcastically.

"The iron hammer is a slow one but powerful, that's why I placed the wall crawlers up there to help big dude," the male figure explained in a very familiar voice that Celia could not place. The water person had no features but the outline seemed familiar as well. "Clever huh?"

"It was a pain in the ass for sure, I'll give you that," Celia said with a smirk.

The male laughed amused in a very melodic voice. "You never cease to surprise me, Celia." Her eyes narrowed at him knowing her name. "What, surprised?" He scoffed and pointed at her, "We've met before only I was the one introducing myself. Anyway, I believe you are searching for your kidnapped princess."

With Xiao out and aiming at him she snarled, "Where is she?"

"Vicious," he said clapping his hands together. "I wonder why is it you get so worked up everytime anybody mentions her name. Do you know why Celia?"

"You make it sound like you know the answer to that already."

"I do." He snapped his fingers as the water person dispersed. The voice continued to echo in the water room, "But you know what, just telling you would be no fun. And I'm the kind of person that loooooves to play with his toys..." Celia heard him chuckle, "Bad thing is I do that until they break."

Celia felt the water swirl beneath her feet heading towards the doorless path. At facing it, she noticed a staircase of water heading up into a door uplifted in the air, something she had noticed. A sudden eartquake came by as she tried to maintain her balance. She sighed, at least she was still in the Ark. Taking a step on the watery stairs she headed with caution upwards. These were higher than the others taking more time. By the time she had gotten halfway up them another earthquake hit. Trying to keep her balance on the narrow stairs with no railings she was surprised when she heard crumbling from behind her. Glancing back she noticed that the floor of the water room was crumbling and it was heading for the stairs. Not taking any chances she began to ran the slippery steps. The room had been downloaded like Lero had said and, therefore, were collapsing. The stairs were splashing down into oblivion as the room continued to destroy.

She turned the knob at reaching the door with only a few steps behind her but found that the door was stuck. "You've got to be kidding me!" she shouted pulling and pushing on the door with force. With no success and with the last steps she had left of footing, she took momentum and kicked the door down falling forth.

Once inside she sighed in relief of finding solid ground. Sitting up she found herself inside what looked like a little girl's room. It was rectangular. There was a sofa and a piano. There were also some shelves with books and stuffed animals of odd themes. Bedside tables were there but no bed in sight. Looking more to her left her eyes almost got teary at what she saw.

"Thank God! A window!" she shouted running to look out of it. Stumbling there she looked outside only to see a good third of the Ark vanished from existence. Her eyes were wide with terror; she was alive but were the others? Had they survived, found somewhere they could escape? She shook the negativity from her mind. _"They're fine,"_ she thought to herself. _"I just need to keep going and I'll find them at the end of this mess."_ Turning to go she halted on her heels seeing the figure of a little girl playing with a rag of a doll. That was when she noticed that the room itself had also changed. Instead of the bright and childish outlook, it was now a damp room with no windows but a door locked with a padlock. A metal post bed with a rough mattress, a single small shelf for books and toys, and a dresser were all the furniture that were in that room. The little girl, though, was dress tidily with a white dress and white shoes. Her hair was dark but then again there was no light but that of the candle on the dresser.

Someone then opened a slit through the door. The little girl left her doll and walked up to the slit.

"How are you feeling today?" a man's voice asked coldly at her.

"I'm doing good doctor," she answered with her hands behind her back. "I haven't vomited or hallucinated since you gave me that medicine."

"Good," he answered. "Your arm." The girl hesitated but rendered her arm through the slit. Feeling a slight pinch the girl whinced and withdrew her arm rubbing at the injection sore. "I'll come back to check on you later." He passed a tray with nothing but water and a sandwich. "Until then this will be your meal."

"Thank you doctor. Goodbye," she said getting the tray. The slit closed itself and silence remained. The girl turned about trotting towards an obscured corner. She placed the tray on the floor and squated before it. "You haven't eaten in a while have you?" Silence. Who was she talking to? "Don't worry about me. My body doesn't need food. It can survive without it for six months perhaps more. It's only been four since my last meal. You can have this one." More silence. Celia was about to head for the padlocked door when a blackened hand stretched out to an ubelievable size. It caught the tray and all the food in its opened hand and slid it a bit towards it. Then a mouth open. It was the size of a normal human's but what surprised Celia the most was that the teeth were sharpened in spikes and smriking maniacally. Opening its mouth it dumped the food inside and began to chew with horrible noises. Once done the hand outstretched once more to pat the little girl's head. Giggling, her red eyes sparkled. "You're welcome."

An earthquake took from her the illusion given off by the room returning her to the childish one once again. She stumbled with her footing before another earthquake threw her off her feet followed by a loud crashing sound. Looking up she noticed the shelf had fallen from the earthquake making a secret passageway of stairs heading up reveal to her. Getting up on and balancing her footing she ran for it just before the room began to collapse.

After what looked to be five minutes Celia arrived at the end of a bleak place with damp and cold stone walls. It was circular so perhaps it was like the other rooom. Walking around in the stone floor there was no light to guide her way. Aimlessly in pursuit of an exit she walked until she saw something in front of her at the end of the hall stood with its back to her. It had a dark and tattered cape over what looked like its humped body and was standing upon two very strange feet; the feet had pretty damn seperate fingers.

Celia hugged the wall with her back while with stealth she began to approach that end. She wasn't stupid; she couldn't go back so the only place to head towards was forth. The thing took a couple steps to its right facing the wall. Seeing her chance Celia quietly made a run for it behind the caped monster. But even before she had time to step out from behind it, one of the feet that had steadied it grabbed her from the waist. Celia tried prying off the heavy grip of what she now distinguished as a large hand. Looking up she noticed that the humped portion of the caped mutt was actually a second head sticking from its neck, all four eyes now looking at her.

It shrieked dreadfully making Celia cover her ears. Throwing her away she landed on the path was headed to but when her eyes landed on it there was no door. No escape route from the mutt before her. Another shriek made her cover her ears making her unable to stand up. Her sight stopped on the two-headed mutt that was coming her way walking with its large hands. But there was no hit, just the grazing of the mutt's cape as it passed her heading for the exit wall she had hoped for.

Lifting its right hand/foot it smashed it against the wall with great force making a great indentation. Hitting it again it made a small orifice. It kept hitting and hitting until it made a large enough hole for a small body to fit in and it was high up to her waist. Standing up slowly she noticed that the two-headed baby face mutt stood aside after finishing the exit. It was breathing loudly and standing on its two hands/feet. Celia just stood there looking from the mutt to the exit and back.

The mutt finally lifted a limb and pointed a slim white finger at the exit. Croaking something out of its throat it pronounced the words, "_Mother...go...to."_ It was barely a comprehensible speech but Celia grasped the three words. Hearing cracking from far away behind her, she turned back before heading for the hole.

Her first two attempts to reach over the hole were futile. That was when the mutt placed one hand up and steady. He wanted to give her a lift. Taking it she stepped on his hand and got into the hole slithering through to the other side safely.

Before leaving Celia whirled to face the two-headed mutt with a smile, "Thanks."

Shooing her with a hand the mutt repeated, "_Mother...go...to." _It turned its back on the hole and headed towards the cracking noise from where Celia could now hear cries of mutts and silver mutts. It helped her. It wasn't like the others. It wanted her to go towards safety. Taking the chance she ran up circular stairs only interrupted by a couple of earthquakes until she found a heavy iron door. Pushing through it she found herself inside an enormous library with a monument in the middle with opened doors and an iron maiden with someone's hand sticking out.

Looking at the iron maiden and the hand it seemed familiar to her. Then another earthquake which kept going meant the room was going to collapse soon enough. Leaving the iron torture machine behind she leaped into the opened doors of the monument.

* * *

><p>"I didn't know you created Lost Ones as well," the boy chuckled at the girl walking around her which annoyed her pretty well.<p>

"I had to guide her," she said as an excuse.

"But Lost Ones are created out of the sorrow of the soul. If an Akuma is converted with the virus then it becomes a Lost Machine basically the same as an Akuma but with the only intention to eat and infect others. If a human is infected then it becomes a Lost Soul. The latter is the worst kind of Lost One we can create, after all don't those suffer because they get distorted from their reality, their lives, of their souls? It infects their bodies giving them deformed bodies, then their minds giving them slow mentalities until they cannot think of anything but the most basic of needs, lastly it destroys the soul. After those three steps the Lost Soul becomes a Lost Silva. A machine with human form that will only kill and eat, infecting anything its blood comes in contact with."

"I have only created two Lost Souls," the girl said moving a bit but finding it hard to when the chains constricted her movement so much. "You have killed countless of human beings and tranformed countless of Akuma souls that could be saved by the Apostles. All for nothing."

"Correction my dear," the boy said with a mischeivous smirk. "I killed for you. You are not nothing. If you survive then all I have to do is wait until your knight comes to kill you."

"Why wait?" she said furious. "Kill me now and get it done with."

The boy shook his index finger in front of her face. "There wouldn't be anything fun in that, now would there? You're knight is fun to tease. Anyways, all she has in mind is rescuing her dear princess. But believe me, when the time comes I will gladly kill you in front of her eyes. That way they will all realize what she truly is."

"You..." the girl said finally understanding what he wanted with them. "You intend to repeat that horrible tragedy that happened nine years ago?"

"And once that happens," he walked over to the white table with the chess board and pieces staled in a check position. Placing a finger on the Queen, playing with the balance, "The Order will have no other choice..." He finally let the Queen topple over its head and roll away, "But to dispose of her."

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><p><strong>So how was it? Liked it? <strong>

**Who do you think that girl was? And the guy? What about the little girl in that round room? Most of all that black smilling thing...? -shivers- creeped me out. **

**Anyway hoped you liked it!**


	16. Retrace XV

**I feel so great now! I've only got finals before I start looking into schools! I'm half excited and half scared but i'll hope for the best. The only thing that has kept me sane these past month has been writting these stories for you guys, so thanks a lot. :D **

**Now my thanks list: ****  
><strong>**-As always my dear friend, DarkFlame Alchemist! Love you and thanks for the reviews on Unfairly Played.****  
><strong>**-Shybo27 for the longest review I've ever gotten. plus the story fav and alert. I love those so thank you and I'm glad you enjoy my stories so much. :3**

**And thanks to all the people who read this story. You all are the reason I write.****  
><strong>**Now let's get to it~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XV: Deadly Silence<strong>

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><p>Stairs.<p>

Celia was starting to freaking hate stairs with a passion. She hated stairs now just about as much as she hated seeing Kanda mad and that was saying something. Since she went through that monument door all she had been doing for the last five to ten minutes was climbing stairs. If they could be called that; they were only platforms placed one after the other. The place was also pretty hectic. It was just a black space with floating railings and those stairs.

A tinkling made her turn about to see Navi flapping her wings but staying still facing back.

"What is it, Navs?" Celia asked going two steps down to the golem. Looking back she couldn't see nothing but the few steps she had left behind. "C'mon, Navi. We have to find the others." Celia pulled at her tail but she wouldn't budge, she just stared at the darkness they had passed. Celia wasn't bothered by whatever bothered Navi but the instant she gave her back to the bottom end of the stairs she heard it. A giggling. A very terrfyingly high-pitched giggle.

Then she heard heavy but fast footsteps hurrying up the steps. Starining her eyes to see, she caught sight of a woman of flesh. She looked human but by the flesh she could tell it was an infected mutt. The giggling again and she was almost to Celia.

"Shit," she cussed under her breath taking Navi by force and running like hell. She wouldn't look back but the giggling and sluggish steps told her right were the female mutt was compared to her. Another earthquake hit them making her tumble over. Slipping off the steps she barely got a hold of the edge of one platform.

The mutt reached just in time to see her fall and hold on. It bent down before her and giggled again. This time it opened it mouth just to let another huge worm-like mouth with sharp teeth come out and headed towards her face.

"Fuck no!" she cussed at it taking Xiao. While motioning her hand into the thing's mouth she activated it making a huge wound. Stagerring back while retracking and holding its mouth the mutt croaked a female voice, "_It hurts... It hurts!"_ This gave Celia just enough time to climb back up onto the platforms. Ignoring the mutt that still sobbed and her bloody and slimy hand and weapon she dart off towards the end of the stairs. Another earthquake hit but this one didn't take her off guard. Moving with it she managed not to fall all the while still running. Reaching the end there was a huge double door waiting for her but the doors wouldn't budge open. She heard a great ruckus on the otherside but chains and a lock were on the otherside of the door as well.

Taking Diabolicus she snapped the door apart almost off its hinges. On the other side far from where she had entered was Allen and some of the others. She could see Lenalee and that other man from before tucked away in a dice. Another box encaged the redhead she had met back then, Lavi. One of the Noah children was flaoting atop the umbrella from before, Lero. And Allen was fighting against the dice box but he was okay. Celia sighed, _thank goodness._

_"It hurts... you bitch!" _

Ducking at her very voice, Celia managed to avoid the hit of the silver blade that came out of the mutt's right hand. Moving out of the way, she faced her. Both hands had morphed into silver blades. With Xiao in her hands she avoided the hits that came to her. Celia didn't wish to fight at the moment she was more worried about Allen and the others. But her ignorance costed her when one of those blades struck her in the stomach. Retracking the blade the mutt giggled, _"Does it hurt?"_

Celia staggered back letting go of Xiao as she felt a warm liquid running from deep in her throat upwards and out of her mouth. Her vision began to get blurry from the loss of blood. She couldn't just end it like this. She needed to help them.

_"You're so helpless sometimes."_

The girl's voice took her mind for a spin into her subconscious. A dark place with water on the surface. A delicate hand landed on her shoulder and shoved her back. The only thing Celia saw before she fell into darkness was the illuminated whiteness of the girl's hair and dress.

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><p><em>"Does it hurt?"<em> the mutt asked again mockingly seeing the blood gush out form Celia's stomach.

Celia stood still and a sudden smirk formed on her bloody lips. Taking the hand off the wound to wipe away the blood on her mouth, the mutt noticed that the would had healed. Not only that but the virus only solidified before turning into dust. Reaching out for Xiao, sparks of electricity ran up through Celia's arm.

"I guess Albus doesn't wish for me to use him." It was Celia's voice speaking but the sweet yet strong tone of voice made it sound like somebody completely different. Looking up, Celia looked at the mutt with blood red eyes. Reaching her hand outwards feathers began to form before her hand taking the shape of a bow. "But I can still use Atrum." With a sweet smile the Celia appraoched the mutt with a deadly speed, "Come at me now."

* * *

><p>Celia snapped her eyes awake. When she hassled to move chains constricted her limbs, her arms chained behind her back and her legs chained beneath her thighs.<p>

"Where the hell..." she mumbled looking around. She seemed to be in a hexagonal shaped room with the walls and ceiling being nothing but mirrors. Beneath her she felt cold white tile. The only other thing there was a white table and chair with a black and white chessboard with a winning checkmate. When her eyes landed on the mirror wall right across from her her amethyst eyes widened for from everything she saw only that remained her own. Everything else was from another person's. Long white hair that was much like hers when let down. All the attire of the girl she saw was white. A lovely and elegant white dress with amethyst lace. A white ribbon with a white rose buds on it were on her neck. She was also barefoot explaining the coldness she felt from her feet.

But how? She kept struggling with the chains while fighting against the logic of the situation. The girl she saw in the mirro looked like her. She moved when Celia willed it. It hurt and Celia felt it. She was enraged and the frown of the girl showed that emotion. Was she...inside that body?

"My oh my," Celia stopped in her tracks when she heard that familiar male voice. Coming through one of mirror walls -just by walking through it- a boy came with a white cloak on over a complete black attire of sleeveless buttoned and black, tight pants. Celia's eyes widened at seeing him. It was that boy. The one she met at the bridge with the organ grinder. That same golden hair and those same mistmatched eyes, ice blue and wine red. Blue and red. She gasped, the saber tooth tiger too. He approached Celia's new found body making her crawl back into the mirror wall behind her. "Why so serious?" he asked with a snarky smirk on his face. Her eyes glared down at him while her mouth was in a complete scowl.

Janus Kaleido -the organ grinder from back then- blinked twice but then smirked again and his mismatch eyes stared down at hers. Grabbing her from her chin, he pressed her cheeks like a little kid. The scowl and the glare didn't change. He smirked again, "So it's you, Celia."

"Janus," she hissed his name.

He let go of her chin and stood before her. "So you remember me now?" He clapped a couple of times before sitting on the chair and tilting on the back legs. "Great. Now, tell me how does your first conscious exchange feel?"

"Exchange?" she growled but with a tinge of curiousity.

"You two. It surprises me that within those two bodies it is possible that the two individual souls can switch bodies at will. Of course you wouldn't remember how to but she... She knows perfectly well how to," Janus said playing with the King in his hands.

"She? You're the one who captured Marcus's niece. Not the Noah," Celia said conprehending it.

"Marcus?" Janus said actually confused. He thought about it and chuckled to himself, "Oh the old man, Alex. Yeah, it was me. He was a weak human, that uncle. He tried protecting her but I had only to motion my finger-" he did so, "-and Lost Machines would kick him to the nether world." From the mirrors across from her the first two mutts she ever fought appeared from them.

"Mutts."

"Is that what you call them?" Janus took a look at them, "Well they are mutations of the Akuma and humans. Anyway how about we talk about her instead. Did Marcus tell you her name?" Celia remained quite with a scowl. "I take that as a no." He stood from his chair and walked over to squat before the chained body Celia was in. "Her name's Alice. Alice Everlott."

"Ali...ce?" Celia repeated her eyes glazed and her mind blurring.

"Yeah," Janus crept his hand on her cheek while she remained bewildered by the emtion that ran cold through her blood vessels. Even as he carressed her cheek Celia didn't seem to mind. Her pondering took over her mind and logic. "Sounds familiar doesn't it. Want me to tell you why? Why you wish to protect her so much? Why you get so vicious when you don't even know her?" He leaned into her right ear and bit down on her earlobe and traced his tongue on her ear before slowly whispering the words, "She's your little sister Alice, Celia."

Pain. Her eyes widened by the revelation she couldn't believe and the sudden pain that she felt. Janus had plunged his hand through her abdomen. The pain though wasn't from that but from her head. A high buzzing ringed in her head then came a sudden sensation that she was being pulled under.

"Buh-bye, Celia-chan," Janus' voice cooed and seemed to retreat farther and farther away. "It seems Tyki-chan is dealing with Allen-pon and Alice is already done with the Lost Silva I sent after you. You can deal with Tyki-chan by yourself right? After all, what resides you and what resides inside him cannot help but try to kill eachother when you meet."

The pulling sensation came and left and in the span of a second she was back to her old body. She was ontop of the mutt that had been chasing her and was stabbing a feather blade through her skull. It had, by then, hardened and become dust. Standing back up she felt the rapid and forceful gusts of wind that came. She covered her face with her arms trying to see beyond the debris that had picked up. A few feet away she caught a glimpse of Xiao stuck to the tiled floor. The gust was blowing too hard for her to try and approach it. Either ways she made a run for it and barely caught onto the pole as the gusts threatened to gulped her whole. Sticking to the floor she glanced up and was dumbfounded by the great vaccuum sphere that was there.

Was it him? Was it that Noah that Janus spoke of -Tyki- the one doing all of this? The huge sphere of wind and debris became smaller and darker until only a reletively smaller sphere remained. The sphere flaoted away to the outside of the tower breaking and destroying anything that came into its radius. It now floated in the middle of the air leaving the debris inside of the tower and no gust picking up. Standing back up she took Xiao forcefully. There she saw another Noah, Road, that stood on Lero too absorbed in what was happening with Tyki and Allen to notice her. Taking her chance she took momentum to run and jump on top of the dice just slightly making a sound.

Lenalee and Chaoji glanced up and gasped but before any could say a word to her she launched herself at Road with Xiao's Diabolicus.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed when the blade made contact with her body throwing Road off of Lero and towards the vaccuum. Celia flipped back to land on Lavi's box. Road looked stunned but Lero had been smart enough to head her way and catch her in midway.

"Road-tama!" the pumpkin exclaimed in worry and concern. "Road-tama, are you okay!"

Road stood there bend over and touching her stomach where the blade had made contact. Road looked up with a glare at Celia who was smirking. Taking her hand of her abdomen, Celia, Lenalee, and Chaoji all saw the feathers that came off from the wound as it healed.

"Celia!" Lenalee yelled her way.

"Exorcist-sama!" Chaoji called alongside her.

"Celia?" Road repeated. She moved her arms in several motions sending golden strike of energy Celia's way. Twirling Xiao before her, Diabolicus absorbed the energy thrown at her. Slashing away at Road again a red energy shot back. Moving with Lero, Road avoided the counterattack. She stood there without attacking, "You. Are you an...?" Road stopped her question regretting asking it.

"A what?" Celia asked holding Xiao confidently.

"It's be impossible," Road whispered to herself. "Only the Heart has control over them. If one were to be here then that would mean that..." She smirked but her thought was shattered in pieces when a sudden bright light came from the black sphere of vaccuum space.

Celia and Road both turned its way along with the two trapped. The sphere suddenly was cut in half from within and exploded. Grabbing onto the box Celia stood her ground. When Tyki appeared from the vaccuum he was breathless and not up to a good laughing mood. Celia's eyes, though, were upon the fifteen-year-old boy she knew. Or at least the boy she had known. This Allen Walker held a sword that seemed vaguely familiar in her eyes. This boy had an expression that the Allen Walker she knew would never wear. This boy was Allen Walker but something told her, something deep in her subconscious practically yelled at her, that this boy before was not her Allen. When Allen attacked Tyki who was shielded and broke his shield, Celia could feel the large blade that slashed across Tyki's chest slash her own. She plunged down on her knees atop of the box gasping for air.

"Celia!" Lenalee yelled in concerned noticing her friend.

* * *

><p>"You know something, Alice," Janus was smirking at Alice whom he was stepping on with his heel right on her chest making marks and by then making it bleed and making her lean against the mirror wall. An evil sneer crept to his lips as he stepped harder on her. She wouldn't whince or cry in pain. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. "I'm very impressed with the way the virus works on us. In each of us it has a unique way of showing its power. With me, it increased my mental abilities giving me telekinesis and my morphing abilities. For you, it gave you the power that allows you to cleanse any Lost Soul from the virus turning it to what it once was even when its in the lowest stage. But nothing compares to what the virus gave her."<p>

* * *

><p>Celia gasped for the air that had been punched from her lungs. She couldn't breath and that slash that Tyki recieved felt real to her as if it were her whom the sword had cut. Within her blood vessels she felt the blood quicken in an attempt to race towards the parts of her body that needed the oxygen. Her eyes were dilated from the shock and her lips quivered. She could hear her rapid beating heart thumping against her ears so loudly that she would rather stabbed them than keep hearing it.<p>

Tyki yelled out when the crosses appeared on his body. Intense pain ran through his body as the Noah inside him was being exorcised. Mingled in his screams of torture were Celia's high-pitched ones. **"Stop! It...hurts!"**

"Celia!"

"Exorcist-sama!"

Allen couldn't or wouldn't hear her pleading screams to stop.

* * *

><p>"Our dear Celia's powers, the ones given to her by the virus, oh they are so much more savory than anything else. It gave her the ability to 'transfer'," Janus lifted his foot and began to kick at Alice's wounded chest before going back to stepping on it. "When her infected blood touches anything else living it has the power to transfer everything from that object to her." He smirked, "But since her memory's been missing so has been that power. But you, when you exchanged with her that night to safe her from Tyki-chan you made something in her subconscious trigger that power. The blood on Tyki-chan was absorbed by his skin and went into his bloodstream."<p>

* * *

><p>Celia could finally gasp in some air when Tyki managed to take a grasp on his pain. He was talking and Allen approached him.<p>

"No," Celia could only whisper with her strength. Allen refused to listen. "Stop it..."

Blood had began to stream down her mouth and from her chest. No wounds were present but blood kept coming.

Tyki was asking and ridiculing about how Allen had only destroyed the Noah within him. When Allen came to be before him with the sword Road came down from her stead and ran over to Tyki in concern. But Tyki's raised hand made her stop.

"It's alright," he whispered to her with a gentle smile on her face.

"It's not...alright," Celia mumbled her vision beginning to get blurry. She understood something right there and then. Whatever was happening to her, all the pain and suffering, was what was happening to Tyki Mikk. Somehow she could feel everything he was feeling. All the agony, all the strain and torture, everything. Allen was emotionless before the situation, Celia witnessed. He was going to end it and he was going to end it now. "Don't do it..."

* * *

><p>Janus knelt before the bleeding figure of Alice. Her snow white hair stained in red from the many injuries he had caused her. He chuckled as he jested with one of those bloodstained locks. "Since that night Tyki Mikk and Celia Valentine have been connected by a bond stronger than anything I have ever seen. A bond built through the force of the virus in Celia's blood and her powers. Now everything that Tyki-chan feels, hears, and sees she can too. Every single emotion he experiences she does too. And every agonizing pain he feels so will she." Alice strained her eyes to open. What had she done...? "Which is why I have to thank you Alice. You actually made my job quite easier. Now that Allen Walker's Innocence has gone past the critical point there is no doubt that he will exorcise the Noah within Tyki." He chuckled tenderly, "And you know what that means. If Tyki's Noah is exorcised then his mind and heart will perish. And if that happens..." A sneer curved on his lips as his eyes shown darkly.<p>

* * *

><p><em>'Don't do it, Allen.'<em>

"Retreat from this battle."

_'Don't do it, Allen!'_

"Tyki Mikk!"

"Allen, don't!"

Allen shouts mingle with her warnings with no avail and he stabbed Tyki right through his heart. Celia felt a pounding in her whole body that it felt like it stopped every function in it. Celia's eyes began to tear up, she could feel remorse, regret, and sadness building in her own heart. Emotions that weren't hers but that were so despairing and mournful that she couldn't help but cry out in his stead. Tyki's eyes blurred and he collapsed dropping down. Road went towards him and cradled him in her arms. Stabbing Chaoji with her candles kept him quite and placed attention to her. It was certain that she would stop at nothing to get payback for what Allen had done to Tyki. Although she fought it against it happening, Celia's own vision went black and all those emotions felt like a burden that drew her body forth.

"Celia!" Lenalle yelled seeing as her unconscious body fell lifelessly from the box it had perched on. In the end her body crashed onto the floor leaving blood everywhere and limbs cpastered in grotesque ways. Allen finally listned to the screams of another and was only left aghast by the scene before him. "Celia!" But she wouldn't respond. Allen's eyes were wide in shock and petrified in terror.

He hadn't listen to her cries. He could hear her yelling, screaming at him to stop. But he couldn't, the drive to stop the fight once and for all overpowered him. He didn't listen and now...

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><p>"...Celia will be as good as dead."<p>

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><p><strong>So how was it? This will be my last chapter until next week hopefully. Since the school year is closing I need to do a lot of things to catch up for the summer. Wish me luck~<strong>

**And please review~!**


	17. Retrace XVI

**Four more days and I'm out! Then I'll have all the time in the world to write! **

**First my thanks to all the amazing people who love this story and wait for me to update even though I'm a complete slowpoke.  
>-Fanficfrenzy1994 for the story fav!<br>-Shaybo27 for the wonderful review!  
>-Mi friend DarkFlame Alchemist whom I can always count on to bright my day with those reviews! :3<strong>

**For now that's all Imma give and now to what you've been waiting!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XVI: Hope and Will<strong>

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><p>Alice felt a strong tug on her heart. It was like someone had just gone through her ribcage and directly stabbed it. She remained still and Janus, having noticed her halting, refrained from harming her any further.<p>

Squating before her he peered down, "What's the matter, Alice?"

She wouldn't answer though. Janus stood back up and kicked her so she could face upright. His eyes widened in shock and he frowned biting his lower lip. Leaving the limp corpse there he moved away into the opposite mirror and simply went into it disappearing. What he had seen was that Alice's body had vacated the soul which was shown by the red color of her eyes absorbing all her orbs. Alice's conscious was not there anymore. She had run to somewhere and Janus needed to find out where.

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><p>"Whew," Road whistled finally seeing what had happened to Celia. "Apo-chan fell from my cube, huh?"<p>

"Celia..." Allen whispered through gritted teeth.

"I doubt she survived."

Road's comment made Allen turn her way, "What did you do to her?"

"Me?" She cackled at his accusations. "Are you blind? Wrong question because I already know the answer. You don't know what she is do you?"

"What Celia is?" Lenalee repeated overhearing Road.

"Apo-chan. It's interesting though that she's here. Could it be that one of you is-" But her eyes widened and a smirk formed on her lips when she felt Lavi's heart break. "Well nevermind me. It's seems who you're fighting has finally arrived."

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><p>"Where..." Celia found herself in darkness, her voice echoing in it. Taking a few steps she felt a coldness beneath her from the floor. Looking down onto her small feet she noticed that the floor was tiled but tainted in puddles of fresh blood. Ignoring the stained floors she looked up once again to only meet with corpses of people surrounding her. People she didn't know where lifeless all about her, dead by deadly wounds inflicted on them all avoiding the chest area.<p>

In the distance she heard someone yelling. A boy's voice yelling what she came to recognize as her name. But his voice was faint and only an echo. She felt like she was floating above everything and that nothing could reach her in that state. She was doing what she was suppose to be doing. What she was born to do.

"That's right." A deep male voice called from the back of her mind; a voice that sounded rather familiar to her older mind. Strong arms held onto hers and she felt the odd coldness of a body behind her, ushering her forth to continue what she started. Those cold hands landed on her warm tiny ones. With that movement Celia recognized the grip of something in her hands. Tightening them she felt a hilt of a weapon. Glancing at it she noticed that it was a weapon she had never seen before. The hilt itself was curved and fitted her hands perfectly for being so small and had on the center a half circle of black. The blade was large in size and shinning a blue white color but was greatly stained in blood which only dimmed the glow to nothing. The hands held hers tightly and she heard the man speak again, "What the boy of gold told you is correct. You were born to this world in order to bring Him forth with sacrifice. You are the Giver of Wisdom. You are the one who rightfully will give birth to Him through Her Grace. But first we are in need of the Ten Hearts."

"Ten?" she noted. The hilt's circle sddenly opened like an eye and revealed a menacing yellow and red eye looking around. Suddenly small narrow tentacles went up to her arm and attached themselves to her drawing blood from it. The blade's blue white color changed into that of her blood, scarlet. The blade narrowed into a capable one for her small form.

"...eli..." the boy's voice again. Her mind told her that she had to keep going. She had to complete her task by extracting ten hearts of the humans. Her heart, though, was telling her to listen. She strained her ears but she couldn't stop herself from proceeding towards the first dead body. Her hand reached out into the open ribcage of the person. With her small available hand she grabbed the organ forcefully disconnecting it from its vessels. "...lia!" She wouldn't listen.

One of the man's cold hands reached for the organ in hers. Taking it she heard gruesome noises and then gulping. "Go on my pet," he called stroking her head leaving marks of blood on her. "Nine more." She kept going ignoring the voice of the boy who wouldn't come forth afraid that she would hurt him. Or worse, hurt the one who had just awakened; his friend that still could hold no recollection of the occurrence happening before him. The man finally obtained the tenth heart gulping it down. "It is time to leave, poppet. We need to find the Assumptiong of Heaven."

Celia turned to leave but something tackled her down making her drop the weapon and in turn making the man from before disappear from her mind. However the strongs urges to fulfill her purpose had control over her body and fought against the one who had taken her down.

"Celia, stop this!" It was a girl's voice of a higher pitch than hers. Celia managed to kick her away letting herself free and pushing the girl into the puddles of blood. Celia's eyes widened in recognition. Alice's red eyes reflected the blood but were in shock and her white hair now stained in it seemed morbid. Alice was afraid but of what? Celia's eyes widened themselves and noticed that the only thing that Alice was looking at was her. Alice was scared of Celia. "Stop this, Celia," Alice whispered tears running down her face. Clutching her hands to her heart she yelled out with her tears, **"Is this how you're going to protect me!"**

Pain reverberated through her mind as she held onto her head. It was him, trying to pull her into oblivion.

"Don't listen to her," he said.

"Stop!"

"You're not her puppet. You're promises to her are empty ones. You are nothing to her and she is nothing to you."

"No! Shut up!"

"You're not her protector. You're a destroyer. My Master has given the order to give birth to that 'God'. Your only purpose is that one. To kill in order to give sacrifice. You are the wolf dressed in lamb's coat and she is the last lamb to the slaughter."

**"NO!" **her fury raged making her powers go berserk. Energy was letting itself free from the lack of control. Neither the man nor Celia had control of the immense power being set free of its reigns. Her amethyst eyes went bleak but she was crying with torment in her soul. Further in the room the people that had died were now transformed by the power that emanated from her. They had mutated. Celia could see the blur of the boy from before escaping but frowning at having to leave the two in there. But he was right to do that, she thought, at least they'll be safe that way. The waves of power intensified threatening to hurt anybody who appraoched her.

She didn't want to hurt Alice. She didn't want to kill her. She could care less if the man made her kill all the others. But not Alice, anybody but Alice! She had promised her that it wouldn't happen.

_You're my very best friend, Celia. _

"Stop him, Celia!" Alice screamed at her but Celia couldn't. Her emotions had taken over her powers. She couldn't control it. Celia's eyes landed on Alice's crying figure which out of the blue turned into one of shock. A black shadow had emerged from behind her gasping her small body, threatening to take her away. Alice threw her head back crying at her captor, "No! I can't just leave her!"

Celia lifelessly reached out her hand to her. _No. Don't go. Don't leave me by myself._ But then a voice warmer than the one before came to her mind. It was a man with a much softer and gentler voice.

_So promise me..._

"I cannot place Mother in harm's way." He was gentle but serious. "Until you learn to purify him, I cannot allow you two to remain together." The shadow behind Alice began to take human shape just as Celia felt those same cold hands wrapping around herself, warning her that he intended to take leave. With that Celia began to struggle but the hands holding onto her were way too strong for her childish body to counter. He was taking her, engulfing her in a swarm of white feathers and she could do nothing about it. He sight and her hand were being engulfed by the feathers. She saw that Alice's body too was being surrounded by feathers. Those two, the man with Celia and the one in black, were meaning to seperate them both.

_ ...that if someone tries to hurt me or if I'm in trouble that you'll come and safe me._

"No! Don't take her away! Don't do it!" Celia's screamed reverberated in the place and suddenly in the dark.

Her vague memory vanished and she was left in darkness again. Standing or floating in the blackness that was her mind. She felt ripples under her bare feet and felt the coldness around her body. What was this darkness? It was so fearful yet so peaceful.

_"Give in to sleep, child. If you sleep now you will always feel this peace. You would not have keep hurting others. I would take your place in the world as well as your task. You would feel nothing, see nothing, hear nothing. You would be in total bliss. You would have to suffer no more."_

"No more...suffering...?" Celia's voice echoed and swirled in her mind in shades of purple. "I hate hurting. I hate pain."

_"Then order me so and you shall remain here in blissful sleep forever..." _

**"Don't do it!" **A pair of warm arms and hands wrapping around Celia from behind her. A voice that was higher pitched that hers and hands as pale as ivory. Platinum hair flew with the nonexistent breeze that came through the darkness. Celia felt the tears on her back. Her hand landed on the pair that had so tightly locked her in an embrace.

"A...lice?"

"You can't do as he says!" Alice cried in plead. "If you go to sleep, your heart will die! The one thing that has kept Albus at bay all these years will vanish! You can't let him win, Celia!"

"Albus is..." Celia's mumble sounded mindless but in the state she was it was more than Alice had expected. She was still conscious and was trying to fight against what was controling her.

"Albus was the one who told you to kill those people! He's the one you've tried to cage away in your mind for so many years!" Alice's yells echoed in the darkness making them the only noise amidst the silence. "You are not responsible for what happen back then! He was the one who corrupted Albus! He corrupted you and your Innocence!"

"He corrupted Albus...and me," Celia sounded monotone, her conscious, although still there, was rapidly being taken away.

"Don't you want to go back! To the people that love you, that care for you! Your friends!"

_Ba-dump._ Celia's eyes suddenly widened and the bleakness left as the vibrant amethyst returned to them. Her friends. She had left them to fight alone. She had never left someone behind in her life. Under her wing, everybody came back alive. She couldn't leave them to their luck. But then she remembered, she had fallen into death when Allen stabbed Tyki, the pain and death of the Noah inside him being her own.

"But aren't I...dead?" Celia's voice was low but understandable.

Alice's grasp tightened, "Do you wish to go back?"

Did she? Alice was there but if she really died then she left so many people behind. People that needed her, that she needed, that loved her and that she loved. She did. She lifted her hand from Alice's and turned around to see the crying face of her sister. She had remembered so many things. Vague memories flooded her mind. Times with Alice on which the platinum-haired girl wished to be always with her older sister. Inseperable as they were, they got seperated by fate but Celia didn't believe in such bull as fate. There was no such thing as fate, only choices. And she knew what she chose. Back then, today, and what she would always choose.

Turning to face her she said, "I want to go back." Her strong voice was back and the determination came out. She smirked childishly, "How're you gonna do that though."

"Atrum," Alice said. As if on que, the man of black returned as if from her own memory. He was pale ivory like Alice and his eyes were a ice blue. Everything else was the color of coal. He stood there with his hands in his pockets. He turned towards Celia with hair covering part of his his eyes. "He will restore your body to the state in which it was before the transfer took its toll on you."

"Transfer?" Celia said confused.

"No time to explain," Alice said nodding at Atrum who extended his hand to Celia's forehead.

"Wait!" Atrum's hand halted just inches away when Celia exclaimed. "What's going to happen?"

"You'll be pulled back to your body. Once there you'll have a span of time in which Albus will be free of infection because of my purification powers. I can't completely clean Albus from the virus in your bloodstream but I can give you time."

"How much?"

"Five minutes tops."

Celia looks at her hand and cleches it in a fist. "I'll make them worth it."

Alice nodded. "Once we meet face to face I can work on Albus more in depth. I'll free you from those haunting voices Celia."

Atrum's hand landed on her forehead. Her image was beginning to strip away but Celia managed a smirk at her sister which startled Alice. "Then wait for me to rescue you. Once I'm done there I'll get you from Janus."

Alice wanting to cry but only nodded and smile just before Celia got pulled under a space of gravity. It felt heavy but then everything came back.

* * *

><p>The snakes of fire solidified. The cube in which Lenalee and Chaoji were encaged dropped to the floor and opened leaving them free. Allen and Lavi survived the fires of the Innocence. After punching Lavi, Lenalee heard someone's faint voice calling her name. Turning she saw her figure moving seating up agains debris that had thankfully not hit her body.<p>

"Allen!" Lenalee called turning to said boy and then to Celia.

Ignoring his hurting lungs, Allen ran over to Celia's figure. She was breathing normally and she was smiling. He knelt before her with Crown Clown still invoked. He was moving his hands about trying to find something in which he could help her with. Her injuries or something, he needed to amend for not listening.

"You're a dumbass kid," Celia mumbled and punched him in the stomach making him bend over on his knee in pain. An unamused glance went over Celia's eyes, "You listen to your senpai. If I tell you to stop you fucking stop, get it!"

"Y-Yes Celia," Allen said hurting. Once he recovers she grabs onto him to lead him towards the others.

Once there, Lenalee notices that most of the gruesome injuries that had been so noticeable a few minutes ago although not gone where less life threatening. "Celia, your wounds..."

Celia smiled at her assuringly. "Alice helped me. Believe me, my body hurts like a bitch PMSing all over but I'll make it." Her features softened, "How are you guys?"

"We're fine," Lavi said trying to stand but unable to. Allen looked at Celia who only let go proving she could stand on her own. With that, he went to help Lavi up.

"I'm sorry I left for so long," Celia said helping Chaoji with Lenalee. "But I had a little fight to deal with."

"Fight?" Chaoji repeated but regretted it the instant it came out of his mouth. "I-I'm sorry. I'm out of line."

Celia chuckled, "It's fine. It was just a fight with my memories, that's all."

"You're memories?" Lenalee asked confused.

"By the way," Lavi called getting up finally. "Who's Alice?"

Celia turned to him while having Lenalee's arm over her shoulders, "My younger sister. Don't worry, you'll meet her once we get out of this place." Suddenly a petrifying cackle was heard. All heads turned to see Road's charred body laughing, Lero terrified. They heard her whisper Allen's name which made Lavi doubt what Allen done to her.

When Lenalee asked about the door everyone became anxious. Had it disappeared?

"I'll go check it out," Lavi called getting onto his hammer. "I'll pull you guys up afterwards." They sat down to withstand the earthquake. Celia saw as Allen began to confort Lenalee while at the same time trying to convince her to leave him behind to look for the others. He's kind. Very much so, she thought. She smiled and whispered to herself, "What a cute couple."

But suddenly a tug came from her chest making her clutch at it. Flabberghasted, she turn different ways trying to find from where the strange energy that had hit her had come from. But to her surprise, there was nobody else around them except for the ruins of what used to be the tower.

"You guys!" They all turned towards the hole on the ceiling. "Hang on to my hammer so I can pull you up. Whoa, that won't work. Can you guys hang onto Allen's shoulders since your injured?"

"Lenalee," Celia said perching her on Allen's right shoulder while Allen placed Chaoji on his left. He turned to Celia who wouldn't get on. "I'm fine. Get them up first and then tell Lavi to lower it one more time for me." His eyes turned into a frown. "Listen to me for once, would ya?" He sighed in defeat but his eyes landed on Lero and Tyki who stilled remained unconscious and exorcised.

"Go," she said again snapping him out. "I'll wait for ya here. We'll all go back." She was telling him what he was thinking. So he let Lavi pull them up. Once they were out of sight, Celia ran over the debris and came to be in front of Tyki.

"W-W-W-What are you gonna do to us?" the pumpkin stuttered completely terrified.

"Pipe it down, would ya?" Celia said reaching out for Tyki's body. Touching him send a terrible shock of electricity through her nerves. That feeling of wanting to kill him came to her mind but now she had control over those urges, even if for five minutes. Managing the weight of his unconscious body, she hurled his arm over her shoulder and tried her best to keep walking with the dead weight on her. When she noticed that there was nothing floating behind them she turned, "Do you wanna stay here and die or what?" But the pumpkin's mouth was wide open but it wasn't because of Celia outburst. That was when that pain in her heart began again sharper than before. Before she had any chance to react a tentacle had thrown her apart from Tyki's body just as she crashed against rocks. Moving piles away from her, she looked up to see those tentacles reach up and destroy part of the cieling. Celia watched as the door, their only exit, shatter and Allen falling from being pulled by those same tentacles that had thrashed her.

Her heart throbbed again as she stood as so did Allen. "You're not dead then, are you?"

Tyki's form began to change and before them stood something completely different. Celia could feel everything. It was pain like before. It was the drunkness of sheer power.

Celia smirked but on the inside she was petrified of the form that was before her. It was Tyki Mikk's being but behind him and those tentacles was someone else, sneering at the two Exorcists before it. "No. It's you but it isn't you, Tyki Mikk."

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><p><strong>Whoa! Mind-blowing to right this much in such a short time. I mean I did this like in an hour maybe less. Well hope you like it!<strong>

**Please review!**


	18. Retrace XVII

**One more. One more chapter. I can do this before I go to sleep. Yes, I can. **

**There's still time for thnxs though.  
>-DarkFlame Alchemist, Shaybo27, and Sleepyreader319 for the reviews and the story fav. <strong>

**For now that'll be it. I really want to end this arc soon so I can get in depth with Celia and Alice's past.**

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><p><strong>Retrace XVII: Unescapable<strong>

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><p>Allen stood slowly from his place. Celia was the one of the two that was up and watching Tyki Mikk. Or at least what remained of that person. Whatever was in front of them wasn't the same person they knew before. That wasn't Tyki Mikk. When Celia saw Allen's glare while he unsheathed his Sword of Exorcism Celia followed suit weilding out Xiao.<p>

It felt heavy to her somehow. Invoking the level 2 of her Innocence made it somehow lighter to her. However when she invoked the flames of Diabolicus she immediately noticed that the fire from it was not red anymore but a topaz blue. Could it be from the purfication that Alice spoke of?

Her thoughts were drown out when she heard the horrific yells from Tyki. The tentacles that had petruded from him were clinging to his whole body, changing it completely. The energy that was lashing out from his body had very powerful force. Celia almost fell off her feet but was caught by Allen's arm around her waist. He had plunged his sword down to avoid being swept away. Holding her close, they held on tight until the energy ebbed.

Who remained was a black knight. Celia felt the arm on her waist leave and before she could tell him otherwise, Allen was already attacking Tyki head first with his sword. Her mouth fell open when she saw or more like saw nothing where his sword landed. He'd disappeared.

"But...where..." she mumbled but before she could find him Allen was hit on his left shoulder with a great slash and then hit on the back with a wave of energy.

Celia charged at him with Diabolicus' Inferno but missed him and got hit by three of the energy waves thrashing her away from the fight. Attacking Allen instead Tyki unleashed a massive energy attack sending him off. He was about to catch him in midair with another when a flash took him away.

Celia stood back up seeing Lavi holding onto Allen's injured form. Tyki charged for both of them. Celia ran as fast as she could towards them before he could attack. Along with Lavi, she managed to block the energy attack but not long enough not to see the faces behind him. It was like different people but same maniac sneer.

"Celia!" Lavi yelled. Turning to him she clung to Allen and Lavi just as he called, "Extend!" Once up he called for Lenalee and Chaoji.

"Allen?" Celia called concerned. His face was in pain registering the injuries he had taken. "Allen!" Lavi had to think fast and called, "Hang on you two! Ex-" but before he could finish his command Tyki had arrived before them and exploded the place. Lavi stood his ground barely able to and his hammer was beginning to crack. But before he could even attack, Tyki went through him, directly injuring him. Tyki licked his hand which was drenched in Lavi's blood.

"You gross piece of...!" Celia yelled charging and hitting Tyki who held up his arm. Both energy barriers clashed against eachother, a blue and black. The blue was beginning to turn slightly greenish white which surprised Tyki at first but then made him lick his lips. Forcing through he slashed his hand her body injuring her gravely and throwing her away like a rag doll. Allen took his chance to attack him but was recieved by three energy waves. Celia sat up leaning agains Xiao's normal kwan dao form plunged onto the floor. Her left temple was injured and bleeding and her right shoulder was shattered. She noticed that Xiao's form was diminishing greatly. She was losing focus and her Innocence was taking the toll for it.

Tyki was striking Allen down. He was way too strong. Not something they could hope to beat. He was too much for them all. The tentacles spread across the place and demolished the upper tower floors. Lavi, Allen, and Celia ended on the fountain side while Lenalee and Chaoji were still on the tower's floors.

Celia's eyes slowly cringed open. With blurry eyes, she saw both of them unconscious. She tried getting up again and saw Xiao's blade broken halfway the other end somewhere else lost. "Shit..." she cussed under her breath sitting up.

"Tyki-pon's got them." Her head snapped to the side to see Janus sitting comfortably on top of a broken pillar. A hideous human form writhing while standing was beneath him, attempting to become its next evolution. "But you already know you can't beat him, dontcha?" He chuckled in his throat, "Glad I got here before he could kill you though because that..." he snapped his fingers and making the humanoid mutt finish it's evolution and break away from its caccoon. What appeared there was a toned silver man. Its whole body the same silver color from the ones before and his hands cover in metal gloves. When he pounded his fist against each other he created a great electrical current through his whole body that snapped free when he seperated them. "Is gonna be my job."

Celia struggled to get to her feet and almost slipped from how tired and injured she was. Her breathing came in pants and she hand to hold to her right shoulder with her left hand that rended her right hand limp and useless for battle. The fact that she had no weapon only made it worse.

Janus sneered, eye balling the dilema she was in. "Did you kwan dao break already?" He snickered, "That's not a problem, right? After all, you are the Exorcist who can turn anything she touches into an anti-Akuma weapon if you so wished."

He was right. She could try what she had never down since she met Cross. She could attempt making a competely new weapon by exchanging matter through her hands. There was no use in making Xiao again. It had proved itself unable to finish the job even in its second level. She had to think of something else. Something more powerful, that could help her now and that she could weild one-handed. Her eyes widened and then narrowed.

Removing her hand from her shoulder she grabbed a plain pipe that had remained in the debris and stroke it down against the white marble that remained from the tower. The feathers began to expand from her palm creating waves of pain throughout her body but that meant it was working. Janus watched intrigued at what she would transmute from the debris out of her mind. The feathers engulfed the materials and remained a great lump of white for seconds until they broke out.

Although a rapier, the familiarity from the sword it once was came to be on her left hand making Janus smirk, "Well, well, well. Did little Celia see what Albus was before turning into that useless kwan dao?"

"Useless my ass," she hissed. The sword's hilt was gold and metal wrapped in white bandages while the steel blade was double-edged. The edges were the same blue white color from before but the inside was a dark metallic black. The eye on the hilt opened to reveal this time a white blue pupil against black iris. It looked around and finally spotted Celia. Closing itself the black tentacles surfaced from the quillon block. The opened narrow ends struck her forearm with tiny teeth protruding through her skin and reached her blood vessels. She could feel the blood that came through those tubes and now fueled the rapier. The blue white edges slowly changed into a scarlet color. The tentacles wrapped around her arm and flatened leaving a protective layer against the arm that weilded the weapon.

"Whew," Janus whistled impressed. "Thats a new one I haven't seen."

Celia didn't know how to battle with a sword much less with something as complicated as a rapier. Worst of all it was in her left hand which sucked since she was right-handed. What sucked more was that it wouldn't come off. She'd seen Kanda weild Mugen before. He was like a leaf swaying in the wind, she thought. If he could do it then it wasn't that hard. Holding the rapier up high, she aimed at the thunder mutt below Janus.

Janus stood with a small smile on his face. He jumped off the pillar only to land beside the mutt that huffed with its back arched. "Let's see how long you last with that thing. Odin, dispose of her. Beat her down and hang her up until all the blood has drained from her body. And would you bring it to me afterwards? Oh how I would like to stuff it."

"Yes Master," the mutt -Odin- answered to Janus.

Janus waved his fingers at Celia one last time. "See you, poppet. Hope you can survive so that I'll have to kill you with my own hands." He disappeared into ripples of sand that fell to the water. Damn, she thought gritting her teeth, another illusion.

"C-Celia." Her eyes barely landed on Allen who was just awakening from his unconsciousness.

Celia's concentration fell again when a pounding of pleasure entered her body. The disturbing thing was that it wasn't her emotion. It seemed to be Tyki Mikk's.

"Allen, you need to go help Lenalee," Celia told him straight away facing Odin.

"What about you?" Lavi seemed to be awake as well for he was the one who asked Celia the question.

"I can deal with this bastard." She nodded towards the remains of the tower. "Right now Chaoji and Lenalee need your help. Go to them. I'll be right there." She straightened her rapier like she had seen Kanda do with Mugen before so many times. "Just let me deal with this mutt."

Allen and Lavi nodded and left her under escaping with Lavi's hammer extension. She stood with Odin alone.

"Now," he pounded his fists together again making more thunder illuminate their shadows. "Let's begin, young messenger."

Celia narrowed her eyes in concentration at his movements. He moved and started charging towards her. She moved aside to avoid the attack of the thundering fists. She saw as his right descended onto the pavement and unleashed the electricity. The floor shattered at contact and fell into the doomed abyss of nothingness. Her eyes blinked in shock, how powerful.

Odin didn't waste any time and turned about aiming at her once again but with his left charged fist. Bringing the rapier up as her only protector, Celia held her ground as her feet sunk through concrete. She swung the rapier aside bringing Odin back while finding space to step back herself.

That mutt was powerful. It wasn't like the other flesh ones that came from the infected Akuma. Neither was it like the silver ones that came from humans. It resembled the silvers but it had more intelligence and more stamina to fight. This one was more agile and more determined with bloodlust for her death.

It pounded its fist together again in rechrage. They crackled in the noisy thunder that he held. He motioned his hand and palm up motioned for her to come at him.

He was tauting her. Impressive, it even tried approaching her through her weak points. The bad part was that her short temper got the best of her and she charged at him. She slashed at him with the thin sword to no avail for Odin kept avoiding her every attack. Finally, he stopped and faced her vertical slash only to stop it by tightly holding onto the blade with his right. Quickly, and before Celia had any idea of what he was doing, he grabbed the blade with his left too and smirked. Before she knew it a great waved of volts came crashing into her system making her yell out in pain. Fried, both body and brain, she fell to her knees.

Odin chuckled stupidly. "Master Janus gifted Odin. Gungnir is a level 5 charged attack. It is the same as being struck by lightening five times in a row. Has your body and brain melted by tremendous heat?" When she didn't move Odin began to laugh maniacally.

_You won't die._ The fingers holding onto the rapier twitched in reaction of the voice that spoke in her head. _You can't die._ Alice's voice. _You can't._ Without warning she slashed through Odin's abdomen making the silver substance leak from the wound.

"Who's got it now, you dumb fuck?" she taunted getting up from her knees.

"You little runt," Odin scowled at the injured Celia as he stood by back. He was about to pound his fists again when suddenly an insignia glowed beneath them both. Celia's eyes widened in recognition of the motif: a woman's nude torso and a winged cross behind it, all encircled in an oval of crosses. Before she knew it her body reacted by jumping away just as the ground crumbled beneath Odin. He yelled cusses while the attack lowered him into nothingness but not before a ripples of sands made him disappear. Clicking her tongue Celia noticed that Janus had spared Odin the misery of falling into the vast abyss. That or he made him suffer even more by making him vanish.

Forgetting about the mutt Celia rushed over to the top of what remained of the tower. Her eyes widened at what she saw or more at who she saw. There, throwing Allen across the tower as if he were just a small and dirty baseball, was their Master and the person she had admired since her childhood days.

"Cross!" she yelled in glee of seeing the man who had taken care of her since she was found in such a dreadful state. The redhead turned his head slightly.

What seemed to be a small smiled crept to the edges of his lips. "Celia, get with my idiot apprentice and the others."

"B-But-" she stuttered in front of his presence at the moment.

"You're all beaten. There's no need to burden me with your presence."

Celia chuckled to herself. Yep, that was the old man that cared for her and that she admired so much.

"Celia!" Lenalee called to her to approach them. Soon they were all huddled in a small place. Lenalee stared at the rapier that stuck to Celia's left arm. It's eye suddenly opened making Celia flinch just as the black matter came off to the tubes and retracted. It's eyeball searched about and landed on Allen.

"Um, Celia, what is that?" Allen asked creeped out.

"I have no idea," Celia said making the eye react to her voice. It looked at her while she looked back at it. It finally closed its eye and turned terribly heavy in Celia's hands making her fall foward. Allen and Lavi helped her get back up and helped with the rapier that seemed to weigh more than five pieces of concrete.

"It's heavy as hell," Lavi complained.

"What I want to know is what it is," Lenalee said confused.

"The only thing I know is that it's Innocence."

"That creepy thing is Innocence?" Allen said taking a gulp.

Celia glared at him, "I wouldn't be talking about creepy things with you and that arm of yours."

Allen chuckled, "Touche."

Suddenly to their ears came the singing of Maria. Allen and Celia both knew what it was. When Lavi asked Allen responded by telling him it was Magdala Curtain and shushing him up. Celia turned to Cross and then Tyki. Was he going to kill him? She clutched her scar unconsciously. When Cross fired and those bullets hit Tyki poundings came throughout Celia's body. They were less painful than before but the connection that killed her mind for the briefest of seconds still remained.

That's when the floor beneath them began to shake. The tower was starting to collapse again. Where Lavi and Chaoji were standing the floor collapsed in it's entirety. Allen tried reaching for Lavi's extended hammer but it shattered at his grip.

Celia stepped back only to feel beneath her nothing. "Celia!" Lenalee's scream was caught by her ears just as she fell down through the floor that had collapsed. Neither of them could've reached her if they wanted, she was too far away from them. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the rapiers hilt in the fear of how she would die. Responding to her emotions -fear, stress, concern- the eye on the hilt opened again and its blue color shined intensely. Making ripples of her body she disappeared and fell on her back on hard floor.

Opening her eyes she couldn't believe that she had survived the fall. But when she recognized her surroundings, she stood up as quickly as she could with the rapier activated once again. The white room she had been in was empty. There was no table, no chair, no chessboard, and no Alice chained.

Suddenly someone hugged her from behind. She tensed at the familiarity of the body's warmth. Platinum hair swayed behind her the body hidden behind hers for they were the same height.

"You came!" her cheerful voice was sweet but Celia felt a tinge of ice somewhere in it.

But her mind and body reacted to a subconscious feeling inside of her. Her body relaxed against her own will and her voice spoke without her command, her mind speaking for her. "O-Of course I did. I said I would come safe you, did't I?"

"You did and now that you're here." A sharp pain came to her chest. Looking straight ahead to the mirror that reflected her frontal bodice. There on her tattered uniform was a sploch of blood that kept spreading right on her heart. She gasped for breath unable to. She tried turning around but half way there she got pushed and fell over against the mirror being absorbed into it slowly like sinking in deep mud.

Alice's smirk showed as she licked the blood out of the knife she had used to stab her with. Celia's eyes widened when she saw the color of Alice's. A mismatch pair of orbs, red and blue, stared at her with glee. The strands of the platinum retracted back shortening and changing color into a more vivid gold. It's girlish body began to change back to the boyish one that was his own. The viper had stroke disguised as a mouse.

"Buh-bye, Celia-chan," Janus cooed. "Sink down, down, down~. The Ark will collapse soon and you and your friends will go with it. Alice included."

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><p><strong>How was it? Well I really have nothing to say except that I like Celia's new weapon. :3<strong>

**Please review!**


	19. Retrace XVIII

**Yay! Summer's finally here! XD I can finally dedicate my time to writting. Although I'll be busy with some other things. I'm still gonna be writting till my heart's content~**

**I'll skip the thnx today and leave it for next time. :D**

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><p><strong>Retrace XVIII: Fire and Ice<strong>

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><p>Allen had restored the Ark successfully. Lavi, Chaoji and the others were all fine. They had decided that before anything else they needed to find Celia and make sure that no more Noah were in the vicinity.<p>

"Do you know exactly what happened to her?" Kanda asked.

"She just fell and suddenly disappeared," Allen said in thought. "I thought she had fallen like Lavi and Chaoji did."

"But before that wasn't she fighting that huge thing?" Lavi pointed out.

"Huge thing?" Kanda repeated.

"It looked human but then it didn't," Allen contemplated. "Celia said to leave her be and we did."

"You just left her to fight by herself?" Kanda yelled at the two.

"She was very convincing," Lavi intervened with a perky smile.

Kanda clicked his tongue and left them. Allen the others soon caught up with his fast pace. "Where are you going?" Allen asked.

"To find the stupid brat," he said through gritted teeth.

"But this place is huge," Lavi said standing in front of him. "How do you expect to find one single person in this huge town, Yu?"

"You bastard rabbit!" Kanda barked at Lavi for calling him by his first name.

But before Lavi could retort with something witty yet stupid something smacked him right behind the head. The tiny marshmellow colored golem bounced from hitting Lavi straight foward and floated before Kanda.

"Navi?" Kanda said confused at what the golem was doing without its owner. At recognizing him Navi began pulling at his hair harder and harder for him to follow her. Navi darted off in some direction and Kanda followed running after it.

"W-Wait! Kanda!" Allen shouted while the three ran after him. Soon they found him standing before a white wall from a building. A wall just like any other.

"W-Where," Lavi panted from running and previous exhaustion. "Where did the marshmellow go?"

"I lost it," Kanda said. Allen approached the wall that they had been guided to. Putting his hand against it he was shocked when it went through almost making him fall forth on his face. Standing back all four gazed quizically at the wall. Walking through it first, Allen was perfectly fine. The others followed suit only to find themselves inside a hexagonal room whose walls were mirrors. In the middle of the room was their comrade whom they had been searching.

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><p>Celia was falling through water. No. It wasn't water. It sipped into her open mouth as the oxygen escaped her body but what came in wasn't water. It tasted metallic. Her eyes opened and all she saw was red water. Red. Blood.<p>

No wonder it felt so murky, so heavy, and so disgusting at the same time. Her mind snapped in anxiety but her body wouldn't respond. What was happening to her?

"You're locked inside a mirage created by Thanatos."

"Thanatos?" It was her thoughts that reverberated through the water and echoed in the space.

"Thanatos." That voice. It was the voice of the man that hid behind her while she killed those people. But it changed somehow, it was gentler. Not like the man in black, the one that Alice called Atrum. No this one was gentle but at the same time serious and strong. "Janus Kaleido's Innocence."

"Janus is...an accomodator?"

"The children named the Three Fates nine years ago were all accomodators. However, Thanatos has already been changed by the virus that was induced in those three children equally. Thanatos, hence, has engulfed the person that was Janus. Although the boy is still conscious it is only but half of himself. The human half wishes to protect and save that which he holds dear. The Innocence half wishes to destroy that which threatens its Master, the Heart."

"He wants Alice and me dead," Celia's murmured escaped causing bubbles rise up to no apparent surface.

"Both are threats to the Heart because they will give birth to 'that which must never be born again'," the voice called. "You mustn't let Janus or Thanatos interfere."

"But what can I possibly do against him." Her thoughts made her sink faster into the depths of that place. "I'm weak. I couldn't even beat his lackey, that Odin. He destroyed it instead of letting it die."

"You're not weak." Her left palm pulsed heavily. Her eyes turned to see the blue eye open. "You have me."

"Albus," she thought of the name that Alice had pronounced.

He snickered at her naming. "My name used to be Albus. Now you have named me something different. Because of your sibling I can think clearly if for the briefest of times. The birth must be completed. Only then will anybody -the Three Fates and their Innocence- will be freed from the chains of that dreadful virus. That thing which was induced in you by 'them' is what has caused all this. To be purified you need the newborn that will result of the 21 Sacrements."

"But I killed people," Celia thought. "I don't want to kill anymore."

"There was another way to complete the sacrements." Albus's voice sounded regretful as if sorry. "The virus corrupted my will and retreated to the raw way of completing them. Human sacrifice."

"Can they be undone?"

"Nothing can undo death." Celia's heart ached at his words. She had killed people for her own selfish reasons even though she didn't know. "Mistakes can't be undone or repaired, Giver of Wisdom. However there is always a way to find a way to live with them and at least attempt to atone."

"How can I?" Celia asked moving her mouth letting bubbles ripples up to the surface again.

"Completely the birth of the cure. If you do, you can safe those who have been affected by the virus. You, Alice, and Janus -the Three Fates- included. All humans and Akuma can be freed from the virus' hold with the antidote that only you two can give birth to."

"That could be a way to begin atoning, right?" Celia said hopeful.

"It is a start."

A sudden rumble shook everything and Celia felt a pull from below. Something was sucking the water from the place. Soon enough she stood on a black floor with no walls but only darkness surrounding her. Her whole body was drenched in watery blood. She still held the rapier in her hands.

"Now if you wish to leave Thanatos mirage all you need to do is call me by that name which you have christened me with since you began living."

Celia smirked, her amethyst eyes vibrant, "Get me the fuck out of here. Xiao."

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><p>"Celia!" Allen called making the girl turn around. Seeing them, she smiled. Allen, Lavi, and Chaoji ran up to her, glad to see her well after falling.<p>

"Sorry, you guys," she said with a chuckle. "After I woke up, I kinda got lost."

Kanda walked behind them feeling something greatly wrong. The girl before him looked like that stubborn brat he knew but something in her voice was different. That's when she turned to see him and he saw it. It came and went in a flash but he saw it. The violet eyes briefly changing colors, mismatching. He pushed past them and grabbed the girl before him by the color of her blouse lifting her to her tiptoes.

"What the hell?" she bellowed.

"Where is she," he ordered for an answer.

"Where's who Yu?" she shouted mad.

"Celia."

"Are you blind, Bakanda?" Allen said undoing the grasp that Kanda had on her. She fell to her feet and stepped back near the mirror behind. Allen stood inbetween the two, "She's right here. What's wrong with you?"

"He probably got hit too much," Lavi said as a form of apology.

She chuckled. Hearing that sound come from the fake made him want to hurl. "He must've, huh?"

"You're not Celia," Kanda persisted.

"Now I really think you lost your marbles, Yu," she snickered. "It's me, Celia."

But at the mention of the name they all heard the mirror behind her audibly crack. Allen turned to see a black and blue thin blade piercing through her abdomen. All stared as the girl before them began to chuckle grabbing onto the blade that pierced her. The image began to ripple just as blood trickled down her mouth. A sneer formed on her -or more like his- lips just as the mirage lost its touch.

"Damn. I thought you had already been swallowed up by your guilt." Janus stood before them again in his true form.

"As if I would." The mirror broke with a burst just as Celia came out drenched and kicking Janus away from Xiao's new form. Janus slid against a mirror stopping his fall with a bloodied hand. He smirked up at her who held her Innocence. She spit away some of the liquid that still remain in her mouth. "Now I'm going to send your sorry ass to hell where it belongs."

"How can you?" Janus said standing up. "You're weaker than me. You caught me unguarded there. Shit, and I almost got your idiot comrades to fall for it too. If it hadn't been for that transgender bastard."

"Yeah I'm not as strong as you," Celia admitted. "But sure as hell am I smarter than you!" she charged at him but he avoided it by moving aside. He flinched and fell to one knee just as Celia plunged Xiao into a mirror cracking it. His image began to surge away.

He chuckled, "You figured it out. That I was here but not really here."

"You were using Thanatos' powers to replicate yourself. That's how you disappeared in water, how you disappeared after leaving Odin, and how Odin himself vanished. They were all illusions. Created by this fake room that harbored barrowed powers of that pesky thing," Celia said stepping before Janus. She aimed the blade at his head, "You're being controlled. But I can save you. We can just come with us and wait until I produce the cure. Then you and Thanatos will be free."

Chuckles escaped him followed by cackling. "Are you stupid or something? The virus had merged into both of us too much for too long already! And I love it! Having this much power just by letting go!"

"You're being led blindly by those emotions because of it," Celia mumbled.

"No," he said seriously with a scowl. "No, that's were you're wrong. I can finally see clearly as day. I finally know the real purpose of why we were born. Who we are. What happened to us. Why we are what we are. Someday you'll be engulfed by it as well dear cousin." His image was faint now, "The virus will eat your conscious away and soon Albus's infected form will take over you and you will become the same as me and Alice! A weapon meant to protect our Master! You'll see!" His image disappeared finally leaving the echoe of his screams bouncing in their heads.

Celia turned to them with a weak smile, "Sorry bout that. I was a little tied up."

"What in the world..." Allen said confused.

"Wait!" Lavi said now more cautious. "Are you really Celia this time?"

"What do you mean?" she asked a little shocked and mad that they would doubt her. "Of course it's me."

"Prove it," Kanda said glaring at her.

She glared back and spat out, "You're a dick."

Silence for three seconds. He shrugged, "Okay." Lavi, Allen, and Chaoji sweat dropped. How obvious.

"Well, now that we've found you," Lavi began relieved just as Celia walked past him towards a mirror. "We should head back so that we can leave."

"Yeah just give me a sec," she said. Holding Xiao up the eye opened and the whole blade shone blue. Slashing the mirror diagonally Celia broke through a mirror which was a fake door. Falling forth was her mirror image in white. The girl was heavily chained. She slowly lifted her head and eyes to see the guys behind the body that had caught her. Blood red eyes stared at them and then went to Celia. With Xiao she broke through the chains letting Alice free. Alice embraced Celia tightly as if she meant to never let go.

"You came!" she said cheerfully and Celia this sounded like a sip of warm honeydew.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" Celia answered with a small smile. She stood up and helped Alice up as well. Lavi, Allen, and Chaoji stared dumbfounded at the two mirror images.

"Would you stop that?" Celia called annoyed.

"B-But," Lavi said pointing at the two over and over again.

"Pointing at someone is very rude manners," Alice said with a sweeter tone of voice than Celia. Lavi instantly put his hand down.

"Celia, who's she?" Allen asked trying to sound polite.

"She's Alice," Celia smiled while Alice clung to her arm, all smiles. "She's my little twin sister."

* * *

><p>"Can we leave now?" Celia shouted at Kanda and Allen who had begun to fight. "I really want to get cleaned up!"<p>

"Stop complaining," Kanda scowled.

"Stop bitching about me," Celia reproached.

"Celia," Alice's low voice called getting her attention. "Are these good people?"

"Of course they are!" Celia said beaming a smile. Her thumb went directly to Kanda, "Just not him. He's a natural born douche."

"I'm going to kill you once we get back."

"Why not now, Bakanda," she snickered using the name Allen had given him. Allen and Lavi chuckled making Kanda glare at him. Celia turned to Alice, "We still have to get Marcus and Lily so we'll have sometime before we have to go back to the Black Order."

"Alexander sent you here?" Alice asked.

"I guess I should call him uncle huh?" she said embarassed.

"What was Lilian doing with Alexander?" Alice asked again.

"Don't know. She said that she would stay with him no matter what. By the way, do you know what's wrong with Marcus? Why he looks so...sick," she asked.

"Progenitor," Alice mumbled hiding her face on Celia's shoulder.

"Progenitor?" Celia mouthed to herself confused. But her attention was taken away when Allen had begun to play the paino. The melody that came was beautiful and was to her liking. Alice however grimaced at its sound. The score suddenly began to undo itself as it began its work to sever the connection with Edo.

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><p>From the dunes they were at, teams Cross and Tiedoll watched as the Ark began to morph before them. From afar hidden amidst the cherryblossom trees was a cloaked man his face hooded. He smoked a cigar and blew away the smoke. Throwing it away he stepped on it letting the last smoke cloud exit his body.<p>

"Well done, _mes filles._ You have done wonderfully. All that's left now is to make haste to make the antidote." He hid his right arm that seemed to be bleeding but was in fact taking a different form. "All your family await that cure that only you can give."

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><p>"I can't believe it!" Celia said jumping out of the Ark's Gate. "We made it out!"<p>

"Celia!" Alice cried from atop the gate's edge.

"Oh yeah," she said reaching out for her but before she could get her down Kanda had pushed her off. Luckily she landed on her feet. "What the hell Yu!"

"Shut it, Valentine." Kanda scowled. A chill ran up Celia's spine. That tone of voice... Shit, he was mad but why? She hadn't done crap. They just freaking got reunited!

"Let's go, Alice." Celia got her sister by the hand, "He's just a jerk."

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><p>Arriving at the Asian branch was fast with the help of Allen. Then came getting to the Black Order HQ itself. At exiting the Gate the teams found themselves surrounded by everybody from headquarters. Huge banners with the words 'Welcome Home' were held up. They were going at it with all they had.<p>

"Is this...?" Alice asked looking at so many people.

"Welcome to the Black Order's headquarters," Celia introduced. After verifying that they all were well and there, Komui asked Miranda to release her Time Record. Miranda didn't want to since it would mean that the wounds of the others would come back. Lenalee finally convinced Miranda that they would be fine. Celia turned to Alice, "You don't have any fatal injuries on you, right?"

"No. I'm fine," Alice responded.

Celia smiled, "Good. Then after I get hospitalized tell Komui to send a group of Finders with you so that you can get the doc and Lily back here."

"No! I want to stay here with you! I can't just leave when your injuries were so many!" Alice said reminding Celia of the fractures and broken bones she recieved when she fell from the cube. She had explained that the restoration would heal the exterior but the interior injuries would remain and Celia had very well gotten many of those including plenty to her organs.

"Don't worry. The Head Nurse knows what's she's doing. Believe me, I know. Just go back and get those two for me, yeah?" Celia asked nicely.

Alice thought about it and nodded, "If you say so."

Celia patted Alice's head lovingly, "That's a good girl."

"Celia, Alice-san," Lenalee called to them. "Are you ready?"

Alice's hand crept to her sister's and entwined her fingers in hers. Celia smiled at the familiar warmth. She nodded at Lenalee, "Ready."

Lenalee turned to Miranda, "Now, Miranda." Miranda looked at everybody before deactivating her Time Record. Lenalee meant to help her when she fainted but her injuries returned faster than she thought. Sh fell unconscious caught by the nurses who were at the ready.

Celia fell to her knees clutching at her chest and stomach which had been dangerously wounded by Janus. Alice knelt beside her worried. A couple of nurses came with stretchers for all of the others including her. Alice seemed fine, though, despite the puncture wounds that Janus had caused with his torture.

"I'm fine," she pleaded with a nurse who was checking her vitals. "Please, help my sister." The medical team had already placed Celia on a bed and injected her with the I.V.. They stripped her of her jacket in order to inspect the injuries more closely. The wound to her chest had barely missed her heart. The one on her stomach, though, had puncture one of her kidneys and all of her body had seperate burns from the voltage she had revieced form Odin. Remembering her sister's task and after getting bandaged for her minor wounds, Alice headed to Komui who was at Allen's bedside.

"Komui Lee?" Alice called to him as he turned. He smiled at the girl, who although was Celia's identical twin, seemed much smaller than Celia.

"What can I do for you, Alice-chan?" Komui said nicely.

"Celia said to tell you about Dr. Marcus," she began.

After making sure Marie was well and cursing at the nurses who persisted on taking care of him, Kanda was finally able to see Celia. Standing on her bedside, he looked down at her surprised. She seemed to broken. So many bandages were on her torso and the nurses had placed an oxygen mask on her and they had cleaned off most of the blood that had covered her body as well. One thing he noticed though was that on her wrist the beaded bracelet, although tattered and scratched, had survived the battle. Unconsciously, he reached his own hand at the small chattel he had given to her. It had almost slid of her wrist and was on her palm. Trying to fix it he began to fiddle with it until Celia's hands retracted by reflect grabbing onto two of his fingers. Her head tossed slowly towards him, the breath fogging the mask on her lips and nose. Her hand slowly let go of him but he didn't remove his. He just gazed at her with an emotion he had never felt towards the annoying brat. Something that he couldn't place. The only name that could come close to it would be...longing.

"We need another stretcher over here!" The Head Nurse's voice shouting took Kanda's attention from Celia. All of the injured had been retrieved so for whom would they need another stretcher for?

A little blonde girl had stepped out of the Gate atop of a black panther. She had been the one who had warned the Head Nurse about getting another one. Four Finders entered the Ark and soon after came out with a feeble man on it.

"Please help him!" the little blonde girl pleaded as they took the man away to a bed to examine him. After all of them came Alice. Kanda's glared returned at seeing her.

Who didn't like at all the bleak gaze the girl was given as they took the man away. Her gaze suddenly fell onto Kanda. Unconsciously he flinched a bit but his glare didn't falter. Those blood red eyes had suddenly changed in the blink of an eye to a bright green color. A smile that send shivers through his spine spread across her lips. Then, as if nothing, her whole expression changed back to one of concern and her eyes changed back to that red color. She ran over to Celia's side and held onto the hand that had held his. She had literally pushed him aside and in doing so her skin brushed against his arms.

Sensing he wasn't wanted there, he lefted only to be pestered by Tiedoll about taking care of his wounds. He finally gave in but Kanda's mind wasn't on the old man's words. No, what took over his mind all the while the nurses tended to him was the difference.

Celia felt so warm. Her touch was like the sun's rays brushing against one's skin.

But that Alice's was so much more different. Alice touch just felt cold, like ice burning one's skin.

He couldn't topple those thoughts out of his mind. How could two people be so different and yet be attached to eachother? His hand turned to a fist. And what was this strange feeling he got everytime he looked at the platinum-haried girl. That eerie feeling that made his blood run cold and sent a very familiar feeling through his system.

The feeling of tremendous bloodlust.

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><p><strong>Holy crap this is long! But I wanted to give you guys a duplex chapter update! <strong>

**So please review!**


	20. Retrace XIX

**Wow... So many thanks to give today. -sighs- okay let's get this started.**

**Thanks to Shaybo27, DarkFlame Alchemist, and for the reviews, story alerts and favs.! Well that was fast but I really am thankful to all of you guys! I know I've said this a lot but you guys are the reason I write.**

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><p><strong>Retrace XIX: Faults<strong>

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><p><em>"I really hate the honesty between us. However I guess that's just the truth about you and me. But I still can't stand it: the hurt, the hate."<em>

**_"Is it you or what's inside you that hate's it?"_**

_"H-How do you know...?"_

**_"You're not the only one who hears them. I can too. It even gave me an escape route if I ever decided that I didn't want to go on in this world. And probably I'll end up using it someday." _**

_"What? How?"_

**_"To have one vanquish the other's conscious."_**

_"Our...conscious?"_

**_"That's where they live. Both the source of Innocence and the virus. If it were to disappear then we'd be free. Only an empty shell would remain that would eventually perish."_**

_"That's means we're the only ones who can safe each other, huh? Would you... I mean, do it?"_

**_"To you? ... If you wanted me to and there was no other way to safe you then yes, I would. Only if you wanted me to."_**

_"Then you'll safe me like you promise~!"_

**_... "Would you do it to me?" _**

_"W-W-What...?"_

**_"Nevermind." _**

**_I knew she would never do it. Then...how in the world can I say I would...?_**

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><p>Celia awoke in a cold sweat in the dead of the night. She was panting heavily. Sitting up she ran her fingers through her messy hair taking strands away from her forehead. She was cold as ice but her forehead was drenching with sweat.<p>

How many days had they'd been back home? Oh, that's right. It'd been some good two days already. She felt the rigidness of her upper body from the bandages. She looked around and noticed that everybody else, being only Lenalee and Miranda in the woman's hospital rooms, was deep in sleep. Sitting on the edge of the bed she placed her feet in small black slip-on shoes. She flinched when she had to get back up from bending. Those wounds were really a bummer to have. They made every simple task more difficult. Grabbing the wool jacket she wrapped it around her body. Besides one of her comfortable pair of shorts and the bandages covering most of her upper body including her breasts she had nothing else on so the jacket was a good thing to have.

Quietly closing the door behind her, she tip toed along the way until she was sure to be out of the hospital ward. Unconsciously she had headed to her room but found that her hand stopping before the door knob. She couldn't go in there. She knew that Alice was there, asleep. Just thinking of her made her recall vague parts of her dream.

Alice wanted desperately a way out of the misery that they lived. Celia had a way out and would do it if necessary. She really doubted, though, that even now Alice would do it for her. Her hand fell to her side. Her eyes without thinking landed on the door next door. She walked over to it and tried the doorknob somewhat wishing for it to be unlock and it was. She went in and silently closed it behind her. It was so damn dark in his freaking room. Well it was nighttime anyway. She headed for the bed and sat on it. The familiarity of it was enough to let her sigh in relief. She plunged on it and curled up curling the blanket with her hands along the way. She laid there staring back at the table across the bed on the top left corner. The hourglass of was still there along with the lotus. She always wondered what that was but he would never answer her. Last time she even tried grabbing it Kanda yelled at her and he didn't speak to her for two whole weeks.

Getting up again she covered herself with the blanket from head to toe like a little kid would. Walking over to it she stared at it curiously. Reaching her fingers over she barely touched it when she heard a sudden rustle. Startled that she might be caught she bumped onto the table making the hourglass topple over. Fortunately for Celia, her reflects had somehow recovered better than anything else and she caught the hourglass before it hit the floor. She heaved a great sigh knowing that, along with the hourglass, she had just saved her own skin.

Putting it back where it belonged she turned trying to figure out what the hell had caused her to bump into the table. There on the floor she barely saw the glittering eyes of a small mouse. It tilted its furry brown head and wiped its face before looking at her again. Celia frowned and squated before the little rodent.

"You are a little son of a mouse you know? You almost made me break that thing," she retorted to the little animal.

The mouse squeaked a bit and appraoched her a little. Celia snorted, it acted as if it understood her. Reaching into her jacket's pocket she took out a piece of bread that she had snuck into the ward without the Head Nurse noticing. Breaking it in half she gave some to the mouse. It appraoched with caution but when it smelled food it qucikly went over to it and began nibbling on it.

Celia giggled to herself and ate her small piece in one bite. When the mouse was done it came to her and climbed up her jacket's seams to her shoulder.

"Huh. Pretty agile, aren't you?" she chuckled. She went over to the bed and sat there swinging her legs. "I must be crazy for talking to a rat but might as well since I can't talk to anybody else at the moment." The mouse's ears perked up as if listening intently. Celia giggled and laid her head against the wall and let her legs dangle. "I've found most of the answers I have been searching for my entire life and all in one single day. I found my family, Alice and Dr. Marcus. I found what's been causing me to kill people: the 21 Sacrements, my Innocence Albus, and the virus that runs through myblood. Even when some gaps still remain in my past and my memory I'm happy to know that at least I accomplished what I had set for myself. Finding Alice was the best of all I dare say. But still..." Her legs came up to her chest as she hugged them and hid her face on her knees, "Even after finding so much more than I had before why do feel like this? Why do I even feel more empty and out of place than before?" She heard the door open and snapped her head upright.

"Do you have no room of your own or something?" Kanda snapped at her.

"Why are you here?" she asked hiding her face again trying to wipe the tears that itched to come rolling down her cheeks.

"It's my room dumbass. I don't need a reason to be here," he snarled at her. He stood before her just as she placed her chin on her knees, "You, on the other hand, do."

"My room's occupied. Yours was the closests and it wasn't locked," she said monotonely.

"I thought that wouldn't bother you," he said. When she gave him a quizical look he turned away to the side before saying, "Sleeping with your sister."

"Oh," Celia said disappointed. Disappointed? Was it that or something else but what she didn't really know. "It's not that I just don't want to bother her anymore than I have to." She chuckled to herself, "No that's not right. Frankly, I think I didn't want her bothering me."

"People can't bother you, it's the otherside around," he said and his eyes suddenly landed on the little brown furball that was sitted on her head. Stepping up she felt him catching something ontop of her head. When she saw the mouse struggling to get out of his grip she yelped. She stood up and grabbed onto his fisted hand with both of hers pulling it towards her.

"Let go of him!" she cried in whispers afraid her loud yelp woke anybody.

"It's a pest and I'm going to kill it," he answered pulling it towards him bringing her along a bit.

"But you can't kill Mr. Jingles!" she cried a bit louder pulling it closer to her again.

His eyes widened a bit. "You...named it?"

"He's my friend. Of course I did," she cried.

"It's a fucking rat for goodness sake," he sighed in disbelief of the girl's stupidity.

"Hey!" she snapped. "You're my friend too but you don't hear me calling you mean names!" She unwrapped the hand on Mr. Jingles as the frightened mouse fled to the safety of her shoulder. "You're just jealous of him because I gave him a nickname better than yours."

"Mine?" he said having no recollection of that ever happening before.

"Of course, the one Al-chan gave you. I think Bakanda's a really good one," she smiled childishly.

A vein popped on his temple from the girl's attitude, "You're simply unbelievable."

"Mr. Jingles is my best friend now since you don't care enough to listen to me."

"You've got to be kidding me," he went over to his bed and laid down facing the ceiling.

She popped her head above his face, "We were talking right now and he was telling me his problems. Wanna hear about them?"

"Could you be quiet?" he said turning on his side to face the brick wall. Celia took this as a yes and sat on the edge of the bed looking up at the ceiling.

"Mr. Jingles says that he's very happy with his family. He's been lost from them since very little and he barely found about them a few days ago. He says he's happy but that he's very confused," she began fiddling with her necklace.

Kanda's eyes were barely opened unintentionally listening to her babbling. It didn't take a fool to realize that she was using the rat's point of view to tell her own. She was afraid of telling him herself.

When he kept quiet she only continued, "Mr. Jingles says that he's very much pleased that he's found his family but that it feels strange to be with them. That's why he's here, to escape everything. He feels like everything he did while searching for them and even before that was plain and empty but that now he feels like those mistakes he made are eating him away slowly because meeting them only made the void much bigger and emptier and made him feel very marginated." She cocked her head his way, "He asked me if you might know what can be done about this? What can he do?"

Kanda didn't want to respond for he didn't have an answer to her insecurities which he didn't quite understand. She was so freaking complicated. He sighed, "He should try to mend his mistakes."

"What if-!" She had spoken to fast and immediately stopped herself and took a second before asking more calmly. "What if those mistakes can't be mended? What then?"

He got up and brushed the hair out of his face. Turning to her, he saw the yearning in her eyes. She desperately wanted an answer, "Then you must find a way to live with them."

"A way to...live with them?" she repeated a bit confused. Her face fell as she watched her hands. "Is there such way? I killed so many people. Even when I didn't know I was doing it I did it. I mean is there such a way to live with those things in peace?"

"Who knows?" he said laying down again and this time placing his arm over his eyes. "The only way to find out is to keep looking. And about the other thing-" He didn't want to but it was for her sake, "Mr. Jingles shouldn't shy away from his family just because of those feelings he's getting. He should find out why he feels that way and then try to get use to it. That way he'll be able to enjoy the time he has with them now instead of mourning the time he didn't."

Celia's face came up in a snap. Her eyes were a bit teary but she smiled through them. "Yeah," she said softly wiping them away. "You're right. Thanks."

"Don't thank me. I mean it," he said in a sigh.

After crying so much she needed some fun. Standing up on the floor she jumped on him making him lose all the air in his lungs. Looking up he saw her on him belly down.

"Get of me," he said trying to push her off but she held on the bed's edge for support.

"No! Let me sleep here!" she cried almost in a loud voice.

"Would you shut up! Damn!" he cussed. "Will you at least get of me?"

"But Yu-chan's so cozy!" she chirped happily.

"You really want to die don't you?" he said pissed.

"Bring it on, pretty boy. Not like there's much difference anyways," she smirked confidently.

"Oh really." In the blink of an eye the tables were turned. His bodice was defenitely larger and that helped him turn her around and pin her wrists above her head with one hand. With one his knees inbetween her legs, the other on the outside, he had her completely pinned. He smirked, "You and I have completely differences. I, for one, am stronger than you."

"S-Show off!" she grunted under his hold. "It's not that much of a difference."

"The fact that you're a woman makes it even more obvious," he added. He held tight while she kept on resisting.

"Just because you're a guy doesn't mean you're stronger." She had aimed inbetween his legs but the free hand of his stopped it touching her bare skin.

"You're very predictable," he sneered.

"A man's pride is his worst weakness," she sneered back at him.

"You're a petty girl," he said with a straight face. "You're not strong even if you think you are. You're weak, even weaker than the Moyashi."

"T-That's not true!" she yelped.

"You say a man's pride is his weakness. Then woman have an even more vulnerable weakness than us," he concluded.

"No. Men are just hormonal-driven bastards that take advantage of woman."

Kanda smirked at this comment. "The stupid usagi tried hitting on your sister, didn't he?"

"Don't change the subject on me!" she rampaged mad. "Would you let go of me now!"

"I don't seem to have gotten my point across your air-filled head," he leaned foward. Suddenly, she shuddered at the feeling of his hot breath so close to her neck.

"W-W-W-W-W-What the h-h-h-h-hell!" But soon her words stopped half way through her throat when she felt his lips on her neck. Now more than ever did she began fighting against his grip. This was getting way too much for her. She tried more but stopped when she felt the sharp pain on her neck. "W-What the fuck..." she gasped all flushed.

"You're not going anywhere until you realize just how weak you really are," he whispered against her ear making her shudder even more. He went even lower reaching her bossom. She could feel that free hand moving about her thighs, caressing them.

"N-No..." she pleaded in whispers. "Please, don't. Stop." The moment his lips landed lower than her bossom she reacted violently. She thrashed about but realized that she couldn't get away. Her body was way to feeble to fight back against him. It wasn't just because she was weak it was also because of her gender. Her small female body couldn't weigh against his. No matter how much she tried she just couldn't overpower him. When the sudden warmness of his hand came to be on her womanhood she flinched and cried it out. "No, stop! I get it! I get it!" This made him stop completely.

As if nothing so up and personal had happened, he stared at her with that same glare as always, "Have you?"

"Yeah, I get it. You're saying that because of who I am, because I'm a girl and because of my attitude towards others, that I'm a girl who can be led easily. I get it, okay! I'm not strong like you or the guys so I can't push you back! I'm not smart enough to figure out how to get out of this, not with you-" She didn't even want to mention how much of a distraction his touch was to her. "I'm not strong! I get it! I need to work on it! But please stop this! I can't take anymore of it, please!"

He let go of her and stood up and glared at her, "Now get out of here."

She bit her lower lip. With teary eyes and more disdain in her voice than ever, she whispered, "You're the worst." She ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her wake caring not who heard her.

He sighed and sat on the bed. His arms on his knees he cupped his face. He really didn't want to go as far as to violate her so in order to get the point across. But he only did it with good intentions. He didn't know how to convey his concern and have her understand. She was way too thick-headed to understand. She was just a girl. A very gullible one at that. She believed in people too much and only saw the good in them. That she offered clemency to the boy that tried to kill her was even more prove that he had a right to be worried. The only way that he knew how to get her to understand her own fault. She was weak because she couldn't overpower anybody who went against her; be it strength or mentally. And even so she still believed that she was stronger than them. She was way too credulous for her own good.

At that moment, she believed he would stop knowing he wouldn't really do it. The instant she realized that he really was going for it, her senses reacted and she finally realized just how weak she was.

He passed his fingers through his hair. And she was right, before, under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even touch her. Now that feeling from before was creeping into his conscious. It was yearning for something. And that yearning only became more uncontrollable as days went by. Ever since they came back that voice has been even louder. The only thing that drowned it was the yearning but that emotion was powerful enough to control him.

He feared both. The first for being able to wake his ghosts. The latter, moreso, for fear of harming the one person that was stupid enough to befriend him.

_Before the petals fall... I'll be waiting... forever._

He bit his lower lip and plunged at his bed. "Damn you."

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa... A lil lemon maybe? Wasn't really expecting that from my own mind :\ I am like... totally mind fucked right now re-reading this. Don't know if it's cute, creepy, or simply off. Well whatever, am not gonna rewrite it just because of that. <strong>

**Hope you liked it, review! :D**


	21. Retrace XX

**Skipping thanks on this one too! Can't wait any longer to write!**

**So I'll give a genearl thank you to all of you reading right now! XD**

**Now to it!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XX: Payback Time<strong>

* * *

><p>"How's he doing?" Celia asked standing before Dr. Marcus' bed which was in the intensive care.<p>

The Head Nurse smiled weakly. "I'm quite surpirsed he managed to go on alive for this long. Lilian told me that they've been harboring in Edo for almost seven months. Being as sick as he was I'm really shocked he is still alive."

"It's been already been a week since we got back here," Celia said. "Will he be conscious anytime soon?"

"We've been filling him with sedatives for the immense pain, dear. Even if he were to wake up he'll be delusional whatever he told you in that state would most likely be hallucinations. I'm really sorry, child," she apologized.

"Don't," Celia said with a small smile. "At least he's not suffering as much as before."

"That is true," the Head Nurse agreed. "Celia, would you do me the favor of taking Lilian to the dinning hall? The poor thing hasn't eaten since she arrived."

"Of course," she said. She went near to were Lily was seated on Marcus' bedside. Alice, who has stuck to Celia from dawn to dusk, was by her side as she came there. "Lily, wouldn't you like to come with us to the dinning hall? Let's go eat something good, Jerry make's very delicious things."

"I promised I would stay by his side," Lily sniffed.

Celia sighed. Alice, however, approached her, "Just because you're here doesn't mean he's going to get better, Lilian. You must understand that."

"I do," Lily answered wanting to cry again.

"L-Look," Celia said not wanting for her to cry. "Marcus would want you take care of yourself just as much as you're taking care of him. So let's go there and at least get something to eat. Would you please?"

Lily looked at Celia and, although it took a moment, she finally nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Thank you, Celia-sama."

"No need to thank me. Just go with Alice to the dinning hall," she said with a smile.

"What about you?" Alice perked up immediately.

"I have to give Hevlaska a little visit. Just go ahead of me. I'll be there in a minute," she said already heading out and not giving Alice time to argue.

Once there she lowered herself using the elevator. She'd done it before, sneaking into Hevlaska's chamber without Komui. After all, Celia had asked her something as a favor.

She looked up at the darkness before speaking, "It's me Hevlaska." The mass of the Exorcist emerged from the depths showing itself before her. Celia smiled, "Hey, could you do it?"

"Yes," she said and extracted the rapier from her body. It Hevlaska's hands it looked light but once it got to Celia's it weighed a ton again. "Damn thing."

"It will remain heavy as long as it's dactivated," Hevlaska said. "I aslo rendered some other information on it. It seems to be that your parasitic-type Innocence became both a parasitic and equipment type."

"H-How is that possible," she grunted trying still to lift the thing without having to activate it.

"The fact that you can wield it like that is proof of its equipment-type status. The fact that it draws upon your blood for energy, though, gives it away as the true type it is. And the fact that you cannot disengage it's curent form is that that is it's true form."

"So it's still a parasitic but it won't change back to the kwan dao," she summerized.

"Correct."

"So how the hell am I suppose to carry this without activating it. It's freaking heavy," she stated the obvious.

"You could strengthen your upper body to accomodate the new form of the weapon," Hevlaska suggested. Celia groaned remembering what had happened with that jerk of Kanda. She knew that she had to get stronger. That's why she had been training right after she got out of the hospital.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"You could keep it activated in small amounts without having to fully activate it. That way it's weight won't be an issue. Although that wastes more of your energy in doing so it could be sufficient until you do the first, " Hevlaska said.

"Okay," Celia said activating it a little making lighter than before. Hilting it on her belt she looked up at her, "I'll be leaving then. Thanks for everything, Hevlaska."

"My pleasure," she answered.

* * *

><p>Celia walked about the Order not really hungry at all. Suddenly when she heard a ruckus her head turned about. Allen was being carried out of a room by two guards.<p>

"Allen!" she cried out to him after he was released.

"Ah! Celia!" he said looking over his papers at her.

"What's with the papers?" she asked confused. Looking at the man beside him she asked, "And who's the guy that look's like his recording?"

"Recording?" Allen repeated confused. Celia simply copied Link's stoic expression and pointed at her forehead. Allen broke in laughter while Link yelled at her in rage.

"How imprudent of you!"

"Imprudent is that you're following Al-chan so close. Who are you anyways?" she asked a little angry.

"The name is Howard Link and I will be surpervising Allen Walker under orders of Inspector Lvellie," Link said monotonely.

"Lvellie?" Celia said surprised. "He's here?"

"Yes, the inspector is with Supervisor Lee at this moment," Link said to her.

Celia clicked her tongue. "Hey camcorder. You better not do anything to Ally or I'll be the one you'll be answering to."

"Excuse me?" Link said shocked by her disregard.

"Ally?" Allen repeated shocked by such girlish nickname she had given him. He had to admit, though, any of the ones she give him were better than Moyashi.

She looked over to the door from where Allen had been taken out of. "Who's there?" she asked pointing at it with her thumb.

"It's confide-"

"Master is," Allen spoke over Link.

"Is he now?" Celia said mischievously. She skipped past them.

"You are not allowed in there," Link called after her.

"If I heard right, Allen was the one not allowed contact with Cross. I, however, have no such restrictions." She stuck her tongue out and went through the double doors.

There she saw Cross drinking wine with Kloud and having the luxuries that would put the gold of the Templars to shame. She sighed and walked in, "Hey Cross. Got a minute?"

"Ah, Celia," he said not caring at all but having eyes only for General Kloud. "Not now, kid, scram for awhile."

"Oh hell no," she hissed and kicked his legs hard. It's amazing just how much a week's intense training can change one's pshysical. "Make time. Now."

"Feisty," Kloud said with a smirk. "Have we met before, child?"

"Haven't had the pleasure," Celia said not really interested. "But might as well get it out of the way. Name's Celia Valentine."

"Kloud Nine," she said. "I find it interesting that you rebel against him."

"Oh believe me, I don't find it as interesting as you. Besides I have a score to settle with this piece of garbage," Celia said.

"Hey, watch your mouth. Don't refer to me like that," Cross reproached.

"You have no say on this!" Celia snapped. "So don't even!"

"W-What is it anyway that you want with me?" Cross asked.

"I wanted you to have a look at this," she said taking Xiao out of her belt and showing it at him.

Cross blinked at it. "And you want me to because...?"

"You told me once that you were part of the science division before becoming an Exorcist. Hevlaska told me some things but not as much as I wanted to know. You're more observant and I know you'll dig in if it's interesting enough."

"What makes your little toothpick so interesting?" Cross said having a drink of the glass of wine.

Celia scoffed and thought 'activate'. The eye snapped opened and looked around. When it found Celia it closed again and the tentacles attached to her left arm creating the black protective sleeve. The blade's blue edge changed red from the intake of blood. "Interesting enough? It sucks my blood unless I kill others and have it suck theirs. It's a mini bat with one big fang."

Cross leaned over getting his arm from around Kloud. He looked at the blade closely. "When did this happen exactly?"

"After Xiao's kwan dao form broke. I had to create another weapon and this came out."

"How much matter did you use to create it?" he asked holding the rapier's blade in his hands examining it.

"Matter? Um," she had a hard time recalling. "I don't know. It was a pipe that I stuck onto the concrete that had fallen. Didn't really pay attention to how much it took in."

"Have you ever fainted from usage?" Cross asked looking at her this time.

This question took her by surprise since it was quite idiotic on her mind. "No, why would you ask?"

"It draws blood to augment it's power. The fact that it draws other's blood means that the source from you is quite limited since it's only one body. How do you know that it wants blood from others and that otherwide it'll draw from your own?"

"I..." she began a little shyly. "I accidentally killed one of the test subjects in the science department the other day. It was all in good fun, I promise. Plus it was Lavi's idea. And when I did that the eye suddenly opened without me invoking it and started drawing out its blood until it left it dry as a prune. Right after that was when I took it to Hevlaska."

"It is interesting," he said going back to his old state. "But~ right now I have company so why don't you put it aside somewhere and I'll take a look at it when I have time."

"You scumbag!" Celia scowled. "I'm not leaving this here with you!"

"Then leave and come back some other time," Cross said going back to flirting with Kloud.

"Whatever," she growled leaving the room. If he wasn't going to help then she would find out by herself.

* * *

><p>Another week went by in a flash. Most of the injured were good and released. Celia, in the meanwhile, was still pestered with the mystery of Xiao besides her training.<p>

"This isn't a staring competition, Alice," Celia sighed lowering her face from her twins who had been staring at her all the while she contemplated her problems that one day after training in the morning. "Shouldn't you be practicing your achery?"

"Awww!" Alice complained while dropping on the floor and rolling around. "I don't wanna!"

"Don't complain and do it. You promised that you wouldn't bother me if you came with me to train in the morning but so far that's all you've done," Celia said a little frsutrated.

"But I've already mastered my archery. You haven't given me time to work on Albus either," Alice said in all seriousness.

"That can wait," Celia said getting another sword from the bunch. "Right now I need to sharpen my skills as much as I can. We'll deal with Albus and his infectious disease later, how bout it?"

"Don't procastinate with this, Celia," Alice warned her. "The virus can be tricky at times. Belive me I know. It will take it's advantage wherever a gap is present."

"Well, tell me where it comes in and I'll try to kick it's ass before it comes near controlling my body," Celia said practicing her moves on a motionless dummy.

"All I can tell you from experience is to not to fall unconscious."

"Unconscious?" Celia said remembering a vague tinge of her dream that she had when they returned.

"It controls the body through the mind and heart. If you fall unconscious it has complete freedom and it will have control of everything," Alice said. "That was why I didn't exchange with you. The one time I did I ended up connecting you with Tyki Mikk."

Celia looked at Alice who had drawn her head down. Celia grimaced, the kid was still bummed because she had almost caused her to die. She came up to her and patted her head making her snap it up shocked. "Don't worry about it. Even if I still have the connection with that man it might end up being a good thing. It'll be like a warning bell of some sort. So don't put that face, okay?"

Alice took a deep breath and nodded, "Sure."

"Now how about sending some of Atrum's arrows at me to slice?" she said putting the sword aside and taking Xiao out. Activating the thing was easier now and it had become less heavy within to weeks. She could now carry it around as if nothing. She had also learned, unbelievably from Cross, that this form of Xiao had two forms so far. Before the eye opens without the tentacles and when it was blue was it's level one. When it began to draw blood was when it turned to it's second level. Celia could control it more or less and could decide when it began to draw her blood.

For now it remained with blue edges and the eye remained closed. She slashed at the air before taking her stance some feet apart from Alice.

"Ready when you are!" she called from one side of the training field.

"You're one crazy girl," Alice mumbled taking out her bow. Drawing the string back a small tiny silver point shown at the end of the bow. Putting her cheek next to her hand she aimed at Celia. "Are you sure about this! Last time I almost hit your head!"

"Stop worrying and hit me!" Celia yelled swinging Xiao about frustrated.

"All right then," she sighed. Checking her aim one last time she swiftly let go of the string that left a line of shinning silver in its wake. Celia's eyes were focused on the front but all other senses where placed about. The line suddenly disappeared from in front of her. Celia heard the distinctive _ving_ sound that it made. Making a clean 180 on her heels she raised Xiao just in time to slash the arrow that shattered like shinning glass.

Another two were aimed at her back. Turning again she slashed through them both at once with a diagonal slash making them shatter again. When she felt a sudden bump on the ground she leaped back only to discover another one darting from underground. It shot up then changed direction towards her. She slashed at it releasing a blue essence which had a diamond's edge and broke the arrow in midair sending snowflakes of shinning matter about.

"Good job," Alice said.

"Not quite. I could've destroyed the last one before it even came from the ground." She sighed but smiled, "I still have some ways to go but that's fine."

"Yep. If it's Celia then you'll surely make it," Alice said.

"Thanks." A sudden squeak took Alice's attention. She herself yelped at seeing the rodent that suddenly went over to the giggling Celia. "How many times do I have to tell you that Mr. Jingles won't hurt you?"

"It's a rat, Celia. Rats have many diseases and have rabies and are just plainly gross," Alice squealed.

"Mr. Jingles doesn't like the 'R' word. He's a mouse. A clean one at that," Celia said joking about it.

"You're unbelievable," Alice said storming off to their room. Celia rolled her eyes at her sister's childish manners.

"Oh, Celia!"

Celia turned to see one of the scientists from the science division, "Hey Johnny. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Just research. Hey, I heard Lenalee was looking around for you," Johnny told her.

"Oh yeah?" Celia said playing with the mouse. "Do you know where she might be?"

"I heard her say that she was headed to the training rooms on the second floor."

"Second floor you say? Alright. Thanks Johnny!" she called leaving him behind.

* * *

><p>She walked fast. She hadn't seen Lenalee for some days since she kept running around trying her best not to encounter the Inspector. Celia had had her run with that douchebag plenty of times. Back when she was a little kid, she would pick fights with him. Kanda and Lenalee kept her at bay but when they put Lenalee under house arrest, she snapped and started ruckus at offices. That was, actually, what brought them to lock her away in her room.<p>

Soon she got to the second floor and its training rooms. Most of them were empty for these were only used for personal training and most wanted to get some one-on-one experiences. Soon she found Lenalee but she wasn't alone. She was with the last person Celia wanted to see. The one person she had willing ignored through those two weeks.

She would only speak to Lenalee, she thought to herself. Only her and ignore that idiot scumbag. "Johnny said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Celia!" Lenalee said exhaling in relief. "Yes, I do. Come in, please."

"I'd rather not," Celia said coldly giving Kanda a glare. Lenalee caught this and turned to see Kanda who didn't even take a peak at the other girl. "Just tell me from there. If not just come over here. But I'm not going anywhere close that scum."

"Would you leave." Kanda's words were cold and straight forth.

"Sorry," Lenalee whispered to himand got up. She whispered at Celia who stood at the doorway, "Did something happen between you two?"

"No. Why'd you ask?" she said looking out of the room.

Lenalee sighed and decided to drop the question. "Nii-san told me about Dr. Marcus."

Celia looked at her. "You were snooping around?"

"Yes," Lenalee admitted. "You were going there more than twice a day trying to talk to him. But he never answered you, right?"

"You have no idea what I wanted to ask?" she hissed through gritted teeth. "You had no right."

"I know and I apologize but I found out something you might want to know." She took her golem, "Record No.12. Play."

"Alexander?" Lenalee's voice came from her golem. She must've recorded their conversation through it for proof. "Tell me, you were talking about Evangelique and Cecilia fighting. Can you tell me...what was it they were fighting about?"

A few seconds of silence. Then his voice hoarse and weak came through, "Why, Evanny, you where there. Don't you remember?" He sighed and coughed a couple of times before continuing. "I remember it clear as day. You confronted Cecy about the child. You said that he is a well bred one but she said that he was uncompatible to become the cure. No serum could be made out of him but that didn't relief him of his extraordinary powers." A couple of coughs more and he went on, "He was a powerful one that boy. I recall him moving those shelves full of books with only his telekinesis. A very powerful one he is, indeed. But very sick. Cecilia asked me to examine him. I did and I found that your boy was bonding with the virus in his system way to quickly. I have to be frank, Evanny, I am quite frightful that the child might turn about on us very soon. The virus will not stop until it courses through the boy's body and eats his conscious away."

"He'd be controlled by it then," Celia contemplated.

The recording continued with Lenalee speaking. "Why would Cecilia be concerned of my child Alexander?" Celia turned and raised a brow at Lenalee making her shrug. She had some good acting skills.

"Because Cecilia knew about your intentions, Evanny."

"What intentions, Alexander?"

"Oh, don't you act dumb with your brother, Evangelique." He had adopted a mad demeaner which made him cough more. "You want to create Him again. You want a body that will control the power of the virus to its fullest. But you can't create miracles, Evangelique. All you can do is experiment and fail until you reach the closest outcome possible. What you are looking for cannot happen."

"What cannot happen?" Lenalee coarsed.

"You cannot create God through that virus, Evangelique. Not your son, nor the children that Cecilia is expecting are close to perfect. Although I did infect them when they were just embryos it doesn't make the process sure. They may live more than fifty years with their rapid growth and instincts and they may even be stillborn. These experiments aren't flawless. Cecilia knew this but was confident that her children would live which is why she agreed to my terms. You just wished for God to be born that way you'd be free from the Order's humiliation and give them one of their own."

"Alexander? Could you tell me his name? The name of my son?" Lenalee asked.

"How precarious you are, Evanny. I know you care not for the boy but forgetting his name is very sad. Poor boy, for having a mother like you. Poor Janus."

The recording ended leaving Celia to think before she spoke. So when Janus called her 'dear cousin' he wasn't just playing tricks on her. He's actually Evangelique's son, one of the three Evernly siblings. So that made him cousin to Alice and Celia. They were all a family. How could he want to kill his own family?

"Damn you," Celia cussed under her breath.

"Sorry, I knew I shouldn't have done it," she apologized.

"No! No!" Celia said startled by her reaction. "That's not it. I'm not mad at you. I'm just frustrated, that's all. I've been trying to get information out of his delusional mind but I'll I get are stories of how Cecilia and him would go out with this friend of his. He keeps repeating the same stories and when I ask him about something else he just changes the topic back." She shook her head, "Thanks anyway. That was a big help but seriously Lena, you've gotta stop being so noisy."

"Well excuse me for wanting to help!" Lenalee puffed making Celia giggle. The beeping from her golem took their attention away. Lenalee was to report to Hevlaska's chamber by orders of the Inspector and Komui. "Won't you come with me?"

"I can't, sorry," she said. "I might actually try to kill that bastard of the Inspector if I even come close to him."

"That wouldn't be so bad, would it?" Lenalee joked.

Celia laughed, "Go before you get in trouble." Lenalee left leaving Celia with the scum who violated her. She was about to leave when suddenly Mr. Jingles ran from her shoulder onto the floor.

"Hey, where are you going?" But the mouse only stopped to look at her and continued climbing up to Kanda's head as it cleaned its own and tilted it's head.

"You better take it off if you don't want me to suffocate it," Kanda growled.

Celia ran over almost tripping on her feet in a haste to take Mr. Jingles from Kanda's head. She snapped the mouse away from him. "You're a horrible person, you know?"

"Are you saying that because of the mouse or because of what I did?" He said it swiftly and without remorse. Celia hated that about him. Important things were like crumbs to him. Things that needed to be cleaned up and he wasn't about to do it.

"Both but mostly the latter," Celia said straight forth. Fine, if he wasn't going to play nice neither was she. "You know, what you did has a name and it's illegal. It's called rape."

"I did no such thing," Kanda said pissed off by her accusations. He gave up meditating and stood up. She took a step back her reflects still being manipulated by the fear she felt. "Rape would mean that I actually did the deed. If I remember right all I did was cup you. Actually, not even that."

"You're a sick man, Kanda Yu," Celia hissed through gritted teeth.

"But it got the message through your thick head didn't it?" he went on. "I've heard you shuffling in the morning making a ruckus of going to train from dawn to dusk. So don't come to me saying you hate me for violating your nonexistent innocence as a girl so spare me the sob story."

"Fuck you, okay. Just fuck off. I don't want to hear you or even see you. I haven't forgiven you for what you did. I don't think I will ever," she cussed at him.

"Go ahead. You've been the one who's had a problem with me being mad. I, however, have no problem with you being mad at me. It actually gives me more peace," he admitted coldly.

She was still mad but somewhere deep inside her was sad to no end. She wanted for him to be sorry to at least apologize. But no, he had to go on and do the douche move and pretend like it wasn't a big deal. Well, for her it was. He did something unforgivable. Even if it did get the point through her head. She was about to storm out when another voice came into the conversation.

"Oh Celia, are you here to train with Kanda and I?" Marie asked coming into the room.

"No, Marie," she said ignoring Kanda's glare. "No, I think I'll just sit down. I'm a bit dizzy."

"You better take care of yourself. I've heard the Head Nurse talking to you about your sickness," Marie said getting equipment to train with Kanda.

"It's nothing. Just some heart murmurs from now and then," Celia dismissed his comments sitting down and playing around with Mr. Jingles. "By the way, have you seen Alice?"

"Alice-san?" Marie said while Kanda punched and kicked the pads that Marie held with his arms with force. "No I haven't. Why, is there something wrong with her?"

"She's been getting a bit too worrisome and it's giving me claustrophobia," Celia said placing her head back. "But I guess that's just her."

"You're sister freaks me out," Kanda blurted out.

"Well thanks Mr. Asshole. If it makes you feel better she doesn't really like you either," Celia said not even looking at him.

"No I mean it," Kanda said actually looking at her. She glares back but is forced to look away after awhile. "Something about her just doesn't feel right. She reminds me of that other brat you fought at the Ark."

"Doesn't surprise me. He's are cousin after all," she said lightly.

"Have you ever thought of searching for your family tree, Celia?" Marie suggested.

"I have but the records of the Evernly Family are sealed by the higher ups. And I have no idea who my father is," Celia said. "It's been dead end after dead end so I just gave up on searching. Instead I ask now though Marcus hasn't been that much help either."

"You should really stop looking any further," Kanda warned her.

"You know what, you can shove all that up your-" She suddenly remained quiet, the pain in her chest shutting her up. She clutched at it and was panting.

"Celia?" Marie called concerned.

_"You sent Lulubell?" _She remembered that voice. Road's.

_"She was the best for the job. After all Tyki-pon can't go out just yet."_ The Earl's voice. Then Tyki was in that place still alive.

_"I really wanted to go see it though,"_ Road again. _"The destruction of the Black Order, that is." _

**"Enemy attack alert!" **The sudden message coming from the three golems snapped her from her overhearing. **"To all Exorcists and members stationed at Headquarters. Akuma have invaded the 5th laboratory."**

"Isn't that were they were examining the Egg?" Marie said.

**"Two Exorcists are currently at the scene and engaging the enemy! Generals and other Exorcists proceed urgently to the third Gate of the Ark. Noise Marie. Miranda Lotto. Proceed urgently to the third Gate." **The message continued but both Marie and Celia ignored it.

"You have to stay," Marie called. Celia turned seeing as he pushed Kanda back.

"There's no time for bullshit like standing back, Marie," Kanda scowled.

"Without your Innocence you can't fight, Kanda," Marie kept going.

"He's right, Kanda," Celia agreed. "Without Mugen you'd be a burden to us."

"Don't get cocky," Kanda said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not. It's the truth," she said coming close. "Marie go. I'll catch up with you in a second."

Marie nodded and left. She turned back to him with a serene expression but he only scowled. "Don't try to bench me now. It's not like I can die, you know that."

"I don't care if your wound heal faster than anybody else's. You have no Innocence. Frankly you'll only be a hindrance. Not only for me but to the others too," Celia said.

"Fuckk off Valentine," he said shoving her aside and heading for the door.

But he wouldn't get there. Celia tripped him from behind and bent his knees so that he would fall face first to the floor. Putting her weight on him, she placed a knee on his back while the other stood supporting her. Her left hand had his shoulder while the other kept his head down.

"Not as weak now, am I?" she said still calmly.

"Get off me Valentine! It's not the time for your stupid games!" he shouted.

"No. You know what we don't have time for? You being a prick and believing you can fight all this by yourself. We're all here. And know it's not cause I don't want you to get hurt. I was serious, you'll just be burden for us if you go without Mugen." She leaned her face in and Kanda flinched at the sudden pinch on the back of his neck. She jumped over him and watched him as he got up and run a hand behind his neck where she had bit him before sticking her tongue out. "Now we're even. So be a good boy and just stay put."

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><p><strong>Long as shit. I know. But I liked it. Ah, revenge is always sweet~ :)<strong>

**Well anyways. hoped you liked it. Yay another duplex release for today!**

**Please review!**


	22. Omake

**I'm skipping thnxs on this one as well cuz this will be a present.**

**Because of the 40+ reviews on this story this will be my first Omake. And it's to congratulate the one person who's birthday it June 6th! **

**Yes, guessed right! Let's say Happy B-Day to the our most loved, although stuck-up, Japanese Exorcist of the Black Order *drumroll*: Kanda Yu! **

**Yay! Happies, ke te las pases bien. This also happens to be the birthday of another friend who is completely infatuated with this stuck-up guy *cough*althoughshealreadyhasabf*cough*! So Happy B-Day Koto-chan! Hope you like this!**

**Mark it! June 6th, 2012. Happy B-Day to Kanda and Koto-chan! X3**

**So people enjoy this short but hopefully enjoyable omake from yours truly! ;D **

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><p><strong>Omake: Fire Flowers in the Sky<strong>

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><p>"Wait up, Celia!" Alice ran after her sister panting heavily.<p>

"Shush! Ali," Celia hissed at her turning a corner and finding her way to the dinning hall. As always it was full and Celia had to calm her running and walk all the way into the kitchen followed by her platinum-haired twin. Once there, Jerry was busy cooking the meals of everybody in the hall but got the few seconds to finally notice the twins.

"Hey there girls. How's it going?" he said perkily as always.

"Hey, Jerry," Alice said politely.

"Hey, we don't have that much time. Did you get Lavi's request last night?" Celia asked him.

"Oh, yes I did. How wonderful of you. I never thought I'd see the day of you bringing back those fantastic little gatherings."

"Yeah, his just turned out to be the one closest," Celia lied trying to hide her enthusiasm.

"Well, I assure you it'll be ready by tonight. Just make sure to keep him away from here," Jerry told them.

"Got it," Alice said running out of the place.

"Consider it done," Celia called running out of the place.

Running about the Order once again they got the Head Nurse's office where Lenalee was helping out at.

"Hey, Lena," Celia said trying to catch her breath.

"Oh Celia. Lavi told me what you guys wanted to do. He said you were going to need me?" she asked them with a smile.

"Yes, actually. I need you to help Alice with the decorations."

"Why am I decorating?" Alice asked annoyed by her sister's commanding nature.

"You want to be the one keeping the asshole out of the dinning hall?" Celia asked. The mere suggestion of it made Alice angry but helpless nonetheless. "Thought not."

"Who's taking care of what?" Lenalee asked the twins.

Celia counted off with her fingers as she spoke. "Let's see. You and Alice are decorating. Jerry's making the food and cake. Lavi's getting the presents with Allen. I'm the one keeping him away. Oh and your brother had some special thing he wanted to do for all of us Exorcists. He didn't tell me what though."

"Knowing him it'll be something like last time with Komurin," Lenalee said with a sigh. Alice looked confused for she was fortunate enough to not be part of that past with Komurin.

"Oh no. He's not gonna ruin this one night I get to plan another party in this place," Celia said defensively placing her hands on her hips.

"Right. I finally get to see another of your planned parties," Lenalee said with a sigh in remembrance.

"I'll get going. Alice stay here and help Lenalee finish with the Head Nurse faster that way you'll get to work right away," Celia said pointed at Alice.

"Roger!" she said like a little kid.

"You think you'll be okay by your own?" Lenalee asked concerned.

"Please, if there's one thing I can do good is keep him destracted," Celia said with a wink.

* * *

><p>Celia ran through the Order looking for the target to distract for the next four hours. Running around she finally found him meditating in one of the rooms of the second floor.<p>

"Hey Kanda! What ya doing?" she perked annoyingly.

He sighed in frustration but refused to opened his eyes, "What does it look like, you brat."

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you're really meditating or if you're just asleep," she said poking his forehead over and over again.

Getting tired by the second time she did it, he grasped her wrist by the fifth time. "What the hell do you want?"

"Nothing," she said simply shrugging her shoulders. "Just wondering~ Were you asleep?" He sighed deciding not to answer her stupid question. Celia however didn't give up on it. She was not about to give up on her only task of the day. "Kanda, can I stay here with you? It's more quiet."

"If you would shut your mouth it might be," he commented and remained quiet.

Celia shrugged at his stuck-up comment. She simply went up behind him and started brushing his ponytail slowly so that he wouldn't notice. And apparently he didn't, which, of course, she knew since she had a very delicate hand. With a swift maneuver she undid his hairtie and let his hair fall to his shoulders.

His eyes shot right open just as he turned to her behind him. "What the hell..."

She smiled holding the red hairtie in her hands, "What? I'm just going to play with your hair."

"Get lost and give me that back," he barked getting up and going for his hairtie. Celia however drew her hand back keeping it from him.

"Oh come on. You have pretty hair for a straight guy." She scoffed, "You are straight, right?"

"You're a dumbass," he bellowed and finally snatched it away from her hand.

"Can't I just style your hair? Please, just once!" she begged just as he left.

"Hell no," he said walking away with her on his heels.

"Where you going?" she pestered.

"To eat. Now leave me alone," he scowled.

"No!" she yelled getting before him. A bad idea since he didn't stop and bumped into her. She pushed him back and looked at him, "I mean how about we go to the training grounds. I need some hand-on-hand combat training."

"You really have no idea who you're asking." That sounded more like a threat to her than anything else.

"Still I need someone who won't be easy on me because, well, I'm me," she said babbling on. He glared at her for a moment and pushed her aside. "K-K-Kanda!" she called running in front of him again. "I just remembered! Jerry said that he'd run out of soba!"

"What?" he said actually listening.

"Y-Yeah! He said that he won't be getting some more ingredients until tomorrow morning," she said lying even more. "So can you train me for let's say a couple of hours?" He couldn't really lie about having something to do. Not to her because she would just prod at the lie until it got uncovered.

He sighed and finally gave in. "Just don't whine about it later."

"Alright~" she perked pushing him towards the training rooms. "Let's go and get started~!"

"Don't push me," Kanda scowled.

* * *

><p>Lenalee blew her bangs out of her face. Looking around, she smiled at their work. "Well we're done."<p>

"It's looks pretty good," Alice said putting her hair up in a ponytail.

"Whew," Lavi whistled getting in with the last of the plates followed by Allen. "You girls went all out, didn't you?"

"It is Kanda's birthday," Lenalee said with a smile.

"But I haven't seen him celebrate it once since I came here," Allen said. "You think he'll like it?"

"Who cares, I want cake!" Alice chirped looking at the cake that Lavi held in his hands.

"Oh no. This isn't for you Ali-chan!" Lavi taunted her.

"Lavi-san's so mean!" Alice pouted like a little kid. She gasped and pointed at Allen, "He's eating some! Why can't I?"

"What?" Lavi said startled and looked beiside him. Allen was eating away at some mitarashi dango. "Allen!"

"Lenalee," Komui called coming into the dinning hall with the rest of the science division. "We're all ready for it. How're you guys holding up.

"Oh, nii-san. We're ready," Lenalee called smiling.

"Great. We just need Celia-chan to bring Kanda-kun."

"I told her to bring him at ten," Lenalee said looking at the time. "It's five til so she'll be here with him any minute now."

"I'm gonna love the expression on his face when he sees us," Lavi said trying to take away the dango from Allen.

* * *

><p>"You're pathetic." Kanda stood over Celia who was panting and fell every bone on her body broken.<p>

"No!" she panted getting up and throwing her broken wooden sword away. Hers was all shattered while his was brand new. "You're just a damn show off."

"You're just too weak. Still," he said putting the wooden sword away. "It's already getting late. I'm going to bed."

"Care to help me up?" she said putting her hand out. He didn't even look at her and began to walk away. "Douche." She looked at Navi who was flashing red and showed her the time. "Shit." She got up and got in front of him once more. "Hey, how bout we go grab something to eat before you go?"

"Don't think so," he said skirting her. She rounded about and stopped before him again. "Do you have some kind of hearing problem? I said no."

"Oh come. Be a good guy for once in your life and listen to me. Yeah?" she said putting her hands together in a prayer and closing one eye at him.

He put a hand behind his neck massaging it. Too much damn stress in his life. "Fine."

"Yes." She literally jumped up and began pushing him towards the dinning hall.

"Stop pushing me around, you damn woman!"

"Shut up! You sound like a gay guy!"

* * *

><p>"I send a sign through to Navi." The whole room was dark but somehow Allen and Lenalee reached Lavi. "They should be here any second now."<p>

The doors from the dinning hall began to open letting light in. "It's them," Lavi hissed.

"Can we just say it now and eat?" Allen asked but was pulled aside by Lenalee. That meant a no.

"Why is it so freaking dark in here?" Kanda inquired.

"Don't know," she said with a giggle.

Suddenly the room lightened up and the whole room burst in joy as they called out the words. "Happy birthday Kanda!" Everybody began cheering and calling happy birthday to him. He turned on his heels ready to leave but was caught by Lenalee and Celia.

"Oh no. You're not going anywhere!" Celia called pushing him inside along with Lenalee.

"I knew you were all acting weirder than usual. But I'm not going to stand here and go through this," he protested.

"Oh yes you are," Lenalee said shutting the door.

"We did not spend all morning preparing you a birthday party for nothing," Celia said pushing him more into the crowd.

"I never asked you too," Kanda called.

"Look what we got you, Yu," Lavi called putting a cake on the table. "It's from Tiedoll."

"Master says he's sorry for not being here but that he sends his best wishes for his youngest son," Marie called. When Kanda glared at him, he raised his hands in surrender, "Not my words. Those were right off the horses mouth."

"For goodness sake, Yu-chan! Enjoy this for at midnight you turn a year older!" Celia chirped happily standing beside the table of the cake. "Now how about a little bite?" Celia perked glancing at Alice who only giggled and stood closer to Kanda while Celia stepped behind him.

"There's no wa-" but his words literally ended on the sweet good for the twin girls shoved his head right into it. Lavi and Allen simply broke down laughing their ass off. The twins were laughing alongside them. Lenalee tried but couldn't help giggling. He got up and wiped the cake from his face. Getting what remained on the platter he shoved onto Celia's face shutting her off for good. He sneered at least satisfied by the payback. Wiping it away from her face she heard laughing losing his air.

"I-I-I-I can't b-b-breath!" Lavi panted laughing way too hard.

"Laugh at this!" she yelled and threw some piece of cake she had gotten from her face. With a heavy splat they all began to laugh. Soon enough the thing turned out to a full blown cake fight with Jerry yelling at them for wasting the food.

The rest of those two hours were spent good with cheer although the one being celebrated had a sour expression the whole time. Well the fact that he actually stayed those two full hours was an accomplishment by itself.

"Celia-chan," Komui whispered at her getting her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favor and take Kanda-kun up to the rooftop right before twelve."

"What for?" she asked curious.

"For the special performance of fire flowers in the sky I'm going to give you all," he said with a wink.

"Fire flo-" she stopped herself realizing what he just said and letting a huge smile get on her face. "You're serious?"

"It's already five till. Might as well go now," Komui called after her for she was already speeding away.

"Kanda! Kanda!" she called over the crowd that let her through. He soon spotted the Japanese swordsman leaning against a wall while Lenalee and Lavi spoke and Allen ate all that was in sight.

"What?" he said hearing her but waiting until he got there.

"Hurry! Hurry!" she shouted with glee grabbing his hand and dragging him along.

"When I tell you not to push me around it doesn't mean for you to do something else, you damn brat!" he yelled after her while they ran up countless staircases.

"Shut up and hurry your skinny ass up!" she shouted running faster. Finally they got to teh rooftop of the great tower that was headquarters. The breeze was a cool hit to them after being in such a crowded place.

"Why the hell did we run all the way up here for?" he called annoyed but still liking the space and fresh air after two hours in the dinning hall.

She went over to the ledge and leaned over. From below she saw countless of people from the dinning hall staring out the windows. Looking into the forest she saw what she never expected, Komurin. She snorted and turned around.

"Just wanted to say happy birthday Yu!" she called happily. Just at that instant, Komurin shot the first firework up in the sky as it burst in great colors. It lighted it up with plenty more as more kept coming. Kanda looked up and appraoched the ledge. Celia went over the ledge and dangled over the edge.

"You've got to admit it. They're just something completely else," she said in awe putting her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands.

His eyes glanced her way for moment. His head laid on one of the pillars when he mumbled, "...yes, you are."

"Huh?" she called looking his way but before she could see him, he had placed a hand over her head pushing it down. "Hey!"

"Shut it, brat." She tried fixing her hair. "And don't think I liked it or anything of that sort."

"Of course you didn't," she said taking his denial as an approval. "Komui went all out on these, didn't he?"

"That junk of his worked for something at least," Kanda commented making her giggling.

The last firework light dimmed and the show was over. This was one thing they would all remember. And quite possibly, even though he would never admit it, the only birthday he would not forget.

* * *

><p><strong>This turned out to be longer than I expected but oh well~ X3 hoped you liked it. It's cheesy a little bit on the end but just for one sentence. <strong>

**Happy birthday Koto-chan! Hope you have a blast! I hearts you! XD**


	23. Retrace XXI

**Okay! :) Now back to business! **

**First of all the long awaited thanks list:  
>-Azura, dear, haven't heard from you in sometime! Love to have you back :D<br>-thelonliestpineapple for the story fav. :3  
>-and of course, Shaybo27~! )<br>-and the new recruit Jeany Foster! Thnxs alot for the review! **

**I think that's all. Thanks to all those who read this story too! XD**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXI: The True Meaning of Helplessness<strong>

* * *

><p>Celia tried her best to run against swarms of people. It was good that she had worn shorts today. That and her boots. But a v neck shirt and a white zipped jacket were bad ideas. No time to change now. She could barely keep on her feet as she past through the Finders and gaurds who kept running about the place.<p>

She had to go to the third Gate and join Marie and Miranda. Those two Exorcists, most likely one of them should be Al-chan, she thought. Skidding through the place she finally got to the third Gate. They were all waiting up for something. Miranda and Marie and Generals Kloud, Sokalo, and Tiedoll were already there.

"What are you guys waiting for!" she called.

"For the pridigial boy," Tiedoll said urging to go through the Gate just as much as Celia did.

"Who?" Celia asked. But when a grand hand landed on her shoulder making her turn, she scoffed. "I should've known."

"No time for idle chat." Cross loaded Judgement in his hands while Celia took Xiao in hers activating. "Let's go."

Going through the Ark again made it difficult to keep a stable synch with Xiao for some reason. It became suddenly unstable through the magnetic field but once on they landed on the otherside of the 5th lab, it stabled itself.

"Allen!" Celia called to the boy standing next to her with Clown Crown invoked.

"Celia? Wh-"

She shook her head, "Not now." She nodded towards where the science division was holding off the Akuma and the Skulls. "Let's spread."

He nodded, "Gotcha!" Allen headed to where Reever was helping Bookman.

Celia landed before Lennie Epstain. She slashed through three Akuma threatening her barrier before Xiao began to suck at their blood. Her head turned to her, "Chief Epstain! Are you holding up alright?"

"Y-Yeah!" she called a little thrown off her feet. Celia turned at hearing the Akuma when they began to gather and turn into those huge mechanic replicas. "Shit." She cut Xiao's feast short when she had to protect the barrier.

Plunging Xiao down she pronounced, "Inferno Azule!" The blue fire caught on the hilt and spread across the desired space. When one hand of the enormous machine attempted to come it would catch quickly on fire and retract. Taking Xiao back the blue fire still burnt on the hilt and on her hand.

"Your hand!" Lennie called startled by the fire burning.

"Don't worry. It doesn't burn," Celia responded with a smile and only turned back to see the Generals finish the job. It was gruesome somewhat. Cross was strong but seeing Sokalo and Kloud as well. It was very overwhleming for one like her that had her limits and had so much yet to learn. She clicked her tongue and frowned. She hated it when Kanda was right. Navi was still floating nearby. That's when the static broke and she heard the message that passed through her line over to the Generals.

"Destroy it."

Good, she thought. It would be better to vanquish that damn Egg than give it back to the Earl.

_"Mo...ther?"_ Her head snapped to the side. Had she heard wrong? Did she just hera a voice calling- _"Mother!"_

They were children's cries. Her eyes went wide just as she began seeing the tiny and chubby figures. Those baby mutts again. She couldn't stand them. She began to panic and slash them away as they came but it seemed to be just too many. Some began to even latch to her legs.

"No! Let go of me!" She began slashing at random and even injuring herself.

A giggling came from below, "That's what you get for wounding my Janus-sama, you whorish bitch."

Celia looked up all the while stepping back and carelessly tripped over her own feet. The baby mutts began to crawl up her. "No stop it!" Her cries were depth to the person controlling the mutts.

"Tick, tock. Tick. Tock." The voice giggled again and Celia finally caught a glimpse of who was there below. Through blurry eyes she saw a short female figure with short sandy hair. Her sneer was some of the worst she'd ever seen. Full of hatred but enjoying the pain of others. Her pain.

"No." She mumbled and stabbed Xiao onto the cement. The flame ignited again but instead took another color. It changed into a mix of magenta and a core of red.

"Incinerate them, Condemning Hellfire!" The whole flame brightened in color and bursted out crawling the floor and grabbing the baby mutts in its hold. The babies writhe in pain while on the floor and crying out the word they knew. Crying out for mercy to their Mother.

"Celia!" At turning her head, Celia found Alice just as she knelt before her sister.

"Uh-oh," the girl from below said giggling.

"Ammit!" Alice yelled carrying her bow and shooting point blank at the girl.

Lepaing out of its way, Ammit avoided the arrow but it began following her move. Finally Ammit drew something out of her elbow that suddenly turned into a great white pole axe that shattered the arrow into pieces. Celia could get a better look at her now. Her childish attire, black pumpkinshort and a white ruffled shirt with suspenders. Long stripped, black and white, stockings and shinny black shoes. An eyepatch with a skull covered her right eye while the other was plain wine red.

"Uh-oh, Janus-sama will get mad if he finds out I went out without Madame's permission." She spoke away her issue but sounded like she couldn't care less. Twirling the pole axe, she created a vortex which gave of reflections, just like the mirrors on the Ark room. "Buh-bye, Evernly Sisters. See ya later."

A sudden flash of white took their sight away. Up above the Generals were having a hard time with Lulubell who had now caught Miranda in her grasp.

That meant the Egg was free of her Time Record. "Damn!" Celia called getting back up. She turned to Alice, "Try shooting at the Egg from here!"

"But I might hit somebody up there!" Alice said already aiming with her bow at the Egg that was being protected by Lulubell.

"They're Generals! They'll be fine!" She went on ahead climbing through debris that was flying off. She had to help them ward off the Noah and destroy the Egg. They couldn't have it go away into the Earl's hands. While avoiding Alice's range of fire Celia kept climbing up the debris until she finally got on with Marie.

"Celia!" he called just when more string of Noel's Organon snapped.

"Miranda's in there," she mumbled. She looked down, "Fire!"

Alice let go of the string letting a rain of arrows fly towards Lulubell. They went on through her but avoided Miranda's body. "Dang it!"

"No use, you dumb brat!" the Skulls taunted her.

"Destroying the Egg take's priority," Cross concluded.

"Wait, no! Cross!" Celia yelled. Then Lulubell took Miranda out of her watery bosom to shield the Egg.

"Fucking bastard," she hissed under her breath. Nothing would stop them, they would attack to destroy the it. Celia wasn't strong enough to stop the power that shot at the Egg but before all the attacks hit she saw it. A white blur striking for the Egg just before it sank. She blinked when seconds passed, "W-Was that...?" But the tremendous power of the attacks shook the whole Order breaking down the power lines.

"You're a terrible master," Sokalo pointed out after the shaking stopped. "Shooting full blast like that even though you knew he was coming."

So she hadn't seen things. "It was him then!" Celia bellowed at Cross enraged. "How could you!"

"Eh? I didn't hit him though, did I?" Cross smirked. "Hell, we're both criticals now."

"Allen's..." Celia mumbled turning to the still open Gate. From it, and in the blink of an eye, an explosion came and out came Allen with Miranda's unconscious body.

"Despicable..." he spat out to Cross.

"Hey, I just trusted you to come out, idiot apprentice," Cross said with a smirk.

"It's done." Celia said while Allen took Miranda to Marie and Bookman. "We're done." A great pain suddenly struck her in her chest. The scar on her bosom was burning alight with an inner fire. A pain was scourging her. That flame only burned brighter and louder. The scourging turned to the great edge of hatred and pleasure combined.

She could hear it. The voice of Albus' infected mind. His voice resounded through her brain.

_"Finally. A worthy opponent of our true powers."_

"Worthy...?" Celia whispered looking down were Alice was. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear.

_"It has finally arrived. The Level Four."_

"No way." She had no time to think though for Alice's shriek took her concentration from Albus' voice. "Alice!" She began heading down but something suddenly grasped her ankle and took her up in the air. Looking up, she saw the headless bird mutt that held her in midair.

"Judgement," Cross called aiming and opening fire at the mutt. Bursting it in pieces of rotten meat, Celia safely landed a lower level. She continued on downwards and finally reached Alice. Just when she got to her did they both hear the tremendous ruckus. Allen had been hit. Celia's eyes widened when she saw his unconscious body fall to that floor.

"A...llen..." she said shaking all over from fear. When she finally found her voice she yelled at the top of her lungs, "**ALLEN!" **

The Level Four suddenly drew in breath and let out a terrifying shriek. Alice held onto her ears trying to shove the sound away. Celia plunged Xiao on the cement, losing her balance, while trying to keep her head mostly her ears from suffering from the pretrifying yell.

"Ce-Celia!" Alice yelled at her sister wishing for a saver protection. Giving her own safety away, Celia helped Alice cover her ears with her free arm. The other however had begun to have its blood drawn by Xiao. It was being debilitated by the shriek because of its original parasitic-form.

"Damn..." she hissed. Finally, it stopped but the effects ran deep within all of their systems. "I can't...stand."

"Ce...lia..." Alice mumbled clearly sobbing. Her rage and fear made her clench her teeth. Out of nowhere, a huge explosion caught them off guard. It had been the Level 4 attacking Maker of Eden's Embracing Garden in it's haste to kill more people. Celia took Xiao once more and plunged it just behind Alice as she embraced her from the backfire. They both cringed their eyes closed until the rumbling stopped and all they heard was silence except for the sound of scourging fire. At glancing again, both stared in shock at the living inferno. All the ones in who were in there had been swallowed up by the crater that spit out fire. "It's impossible."

"No one's there. The science department, Bookman, Marie, Miranda." Celia said naming out everyone she could no longer see. "The Generals." Her eyes widened in fear. "Cross. Cross!" The Skulls began to call to the Level Four then. Celia wouldn't take chances with Alice's life. She took Xiao and dragged Alice towards the crans of what remained of Lab 5. If they died now there wouldn't be anybody to alert the rest of the Order.

"What are yo-" Celia placed her free hand on Alice's mouth and made a hushing sound.

"Navi," Celia whispered to the golem that had hid under her white jacket's hood all the while. "Contact Komui. Hurry." She heard static for awhile. That's when a shot took hers and Alice's attention to the Skulls. The Level Four had shot them all with a string of its power. Alice couldn't bare it in anymore and burried her face on Celia. "C'mon Komui."

Static. "Ce-zzt. Celia!"

"Komui! The lab's in shambles!" she called. The Gate had opened. "Get everyone one out of here! It's free! The Level Four! It's free, roaming the Order!" Seconds later the message resonated throughout the Order.

Celia stood up getting Xiao with her. "Stay here."

"B-But-" she stuttered and sobbed.

"Stay, in case any of the others come out." Celia patted her head before heading off running from where the Gate opened.

She couldn't let that thing roam free through the place she called home. She wouldn't let it. She didn't back then nor in this lifetime.

**"Back then...?"** her thoughts clouded her mind band the haze only got heavier when Albus' voice came in to her mind.

_"You don't remember. But before, in another body, in another war same as this one. You fought alongside my Master for his protection. Now you must destroy his enemy. The Earl's weapon of carnage. That Akuma." _

_"The Level Four." _

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><p><strong>I've noticed that I like ending most of my chapters with words in the middle. Haha, funny.<strong>

**Well here it is. Hope you like it.**

**Please review~**


	24. Retrace XXII

**Last chapter was short, wasn't it? Oh well. I'll try to make this one longer. I hope it is cuz i'm getting to the good part. XD**

**Well I'll skip the thanks for today and go straight to it. Hope you enjoy it~~~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXII: Seal of Blood<strong>

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><p>Celia kept running throught the Order or what was left of it. Every time she turned for a new corridor, while heading towards Hevlaska's chamber, there lying cold were the dead bodies left behind the Level Four's wake.<p>

She couldn't bare to stand at the dead who were dealt by that bastard's hand. No mercy. Nothing at all. At turning a corner again into the vetibule of the main floor, there she saw the Finders holding onto the Level Four. Komui was injured but had Kanda and Chaoji to guard him at least.

She wanted to head their way but stopped dead before the Level Four. Her palms were sweating and she felt her blood rush through her veins. She wanted to fight it. She wanted to kill it so bad. It took most of her will power to keep her urges under control and keep Xiao from shaking so badly.

That's when the message came from Navi, "Calling all departments heads! I'm only going to say this once, so listen very carefully."

"No way," Celia mumbled shocked at hearing the developement of the situation. Had it gotten to that dreadful point?

"We are evacuating Headquarters!" Komui's last sentence snapped Celia out of her dread. It was happening. It was happening now. She didn't take anytime and headed their way.

"You're late," Kanda hissed at her wielding an ordinary sword.

"Better late than never," she chuckled nervously but that nervousness ended short. She kept feeling a constant throbbing in her chest and in the back of her head. It wanted to kill it but if she let it be free then what she saw happen to those people that she killed would happen here. She wouldn't let that happen again.

Komui left quickly towards the elevator while followed closely by those three. Kanda got in first which brought Komui's attention to them. Celia went quickly afterwards and saw how struggling it was for Chaoji to get on.

"You three get out of here!" he shouted at us.

"Like that's gonna happen," Kanda scoffed.

"If he's not leaving, neither am I," Celia called childishly pointing at Kanda.

"If they're going, then I should-" Chaoji began almost joining the duo.

"If you get on, your ass is history," Komui barked at us.

Celia whistled impressed never having seen Komui so pissed off as to actually cuss. She chuckled at that. After Kanda complained about Mugen being with Hevlaska and how he wouldn't leave it, Komui exploded in rage.

"Don't be stupid! By doing that you're only throwing your life away!" Komui yelled but caught himself at that.

Celia also knew what he meant. Wounds for Kanda meant nothing because he simply couldn't die. When Kanda made his snarky comeback Celia only bit her lower lip. If only she could say the same thing. The elevator began to descend as quickly as it could. Chaoji fortunately stayed behind. A sudden shattering noise came from above taking their attention.

"Kanda..." Celia whispered his way knowing what happened.

"It's here." The Level Four came flying at great speed. Komui screamed out to Hevlaska right before the Akuma destroyed the elevator. Celia couldn't see beyond the debris but caught sight of the ones falling. She couldn't take chances right now. Grabbing tightly to Xiao's hilt she straightened herself and passed by the debris to higher grounds.

She caught sight of the abomination. She felt a harsh pulse coming from the rapier then that only increased turning into painful bursts of power.

_"It's here. Kill it."_

"I don't follow orders from you." She attempted to sound in control but the truth was that she could barely hold her mind stable for him not to take over. Her mind was interrupted by the Level Four who had Lenalee's head under its foot ready to end it. She tried getting there but one person beat her to it. "Allen!"

She took one step but was caught by an oversized boomerang that took her by surprise and dropped her to ground below where all the others had landed. She saw the disaster from the Level Four. It had beaten Lavi and Kanda to a pulp. Without their Innocence they couldn't have hoped to accomplish much.

The boomerang that had attacked her, she noticed, was still flying about. It finally landed on the same floor as her caught by a very grand hand. A boy smirked at her, long hair tied losely to his side the color embers. His eyes were blinfolded by a black cloth. How the hell did he aim for her like that?

"Hey there, Miss Evernly!" he bellowed at her while she groaned at getting to her feet. "Ammit came for a visit didn't she? She freak you out with her babies?" He bellowed a laugh that sent chills down her spine. "Janus knew she came here and hid it behind Madame's back. I'm gonna lo~ve seeing him punished for entering the battlefield when he wasn't called for."

The burst of power took their attention. Lenalee was trying to synchronize with her Dark Boots. "No. Lenalee!"

"Are you really sure you worry about others right now, Miss Evernly?" he asked again making her turn to him. He raised his free palm and something slit open. Celia almost felt like puking at seeing what petruded from his palm. A eye looked around to her with an ice blue color. He chuckled at her expression, "You think this disturbing Miss? Well it's what happens to people who cannot fully fuse with the virus. You and the other Miss Evernly however seemed to remain unaffected by the effects." He chuckled again, "But I guess that will change as soon as that thing is born."

An arrow came down with no warning shooting at him. It scraped his cheek making it bleed. Taking his hand to look at the perpetrator, he smirked. But suddenly that smirked faded and in a few seconds was replaced by a frown followed by a fake smile, "Sorry to say that I can't seem to stay longer. Madame's orders and I'm a good boy." He stepped back and disappeared into a vortex like Ammit had done.

Allen had fallen unconscious once again and Clown Crown couldn't find any other vital energy to draw from him. A sudden shriek came from above. Her eyes widened seeing as the Level Four took down Alice and dropped her from the bridge down onto the ground. Hitting her head, she could barely keep conscious but managed somehow to sit up.

A hard heartbeat take her breath away. Then came another. The Level Four landed beside Alice. Her expression turned to pure terror.

"You're very dumb. Attacking me when I'm having fun with that other guy." He placed a hand against her face, "Should I kill you too?" But before he could, Celia had already charged at him and somehow had slashed him away with enough force to send him flying against a wall. Celia landed standing in the place were it once was.

Alice was shocked at the amount of power. Celia's hairtie had broken leaving her hair to blow against her movements. Her bangs covered her eyes but she saw clearly the tears the ran down Alice's eyes. Celia knelt on one knee and cleaned Alice's tears.

"Don't cry," she said in a whisper and a warm voice.

"I'm..." Alice cried not capable of controlling her emotions any longer. "I'm scared."

Celia gasped soundlessly but smiled. "Don't worry. I'll destroy them all for you. The things that cause you sadness. The things that cause you pain. All of them." She smiled broadly, "So, smile. Please. Alice." She leaned into her ear to whisper the last words. Those same words made Alice's tears halt all together and made her eyes widened in shock. Celia stood back up and surprisingly didn't have Xiao in her hands.

The Level Four emerged from the mountain of debris and shook its head. "Strong. Who are you?"

Footsteps appraoched Celia's side. A man in white suit with a black shirt stepped forth. His hair was a blonde white and his eyes a blood red. He smirked at the Level Four.

The Akuma's eyes only turned to slits. "No, wrong quesiton. What are you? I have seen you before."

The man turned to Celia and whispered to her ear, "You want to destroy it? The thing that causes Alice suffering and despair."

"I do," she said clearly without hesitation.

The man held out his right hand to her, palm up and pale as snow. "Then give yourself to me and I shall grant you that wish."

Celia glanced down at the snow white hand held out to her for a second.

"What's she doing?" Lavi quesitoned looking at what was happening from his place. Kanda only bit his bottom lip.

She simply laid her left hand on it making the man smirk in ecstasy. A sudden crackle of white electricity began from the contact of the hands. Pulling away his whole body transformed into the rapier once again but this one was completely white all around. The same black tentacles appeared but this time went further than just her forearm. It went to up her shoulder an encased the black material all around it. The blood being drawn was in such great amount that it turned the pure white blade into the bright red of scarlet. Then something from the hilt crawled it's way up from beneath her skin all the way to her shoulder. Suddenly it slit open and the same blood red eye lurked about watching everything with a new perspective.

"W-What is that?" Lavi called shocked and horrified at what her Innocence had turned to.

"That's no Innocence," Kands hissed. "That's just not it."

The Level Four stood before her with a gleeful smirk on its face. "I remember now! You're that pesky thing! You're name... You're name! What was it?" Celia's body moved on its own swiftly as it went for the Akuma. It got to block some of her hits but the one that it missed send him away with a great slash on it's belly. He chuckled, "I remember now! You're an Apocryphos!"

"Apo...cryphos...?" Allen now barely hangning onto his consciousness whispered.

"Celia!" Alice yelled at her sister. "Celia, answer me!"

Celia ignored her yells and pleas but only sprinted forward towards the Level Four again. Slashing through over and over all the while the Level Four cackled.

"What's happening to her!" Lavi called to Alice just as they reached her.

"She's out of her mind. She's being controlled by her Innocence. Albus' infected form took over her," Alice went all out in rapidfire. She gasped, "And it used me to trigger her ambiguity to her powers. She's like that because of me." She began to cry again.

"Stop whimpering, Evernly!" Kanda yelled at her in rage. She picked her up by her forearm brusquely. "How can we stop her."

"N-N-Nothing can," she cried avoiding his face.

"Think harder!" he bellowed at her. "Do you want her to die!"

This snapped her out of her sorry state. She thought for a second and gasp, "Terminate their connection."

"Connection?" Lavi repeated.

"Rip Albus away from her hand. She's still conscious but her insecurities have weakened her. Rip Albus away from her and she might wake up from it!" Alice called.

Celia kept on trying to attack the Level Four but it only cackled and bellowed in cheer, "You're that Apocryphos! With the Eye of Dante! Then come at me, Dante! Come and finish me again if you can!"

It send her away with injuries that, shockingly, healed themselves. She was about to attack again when something held onto her waist from in front.

"Don't do it, Celia! Can't you hear me!" Alice cried to her. But Celia couldn't and was about to step out from her grip when strong arms held onto either of hers. She struggled almost throwing the three off from her body. "Do it!" Alice cried.

Kanda held onto the rapier with a strong grip and started to pull. The white electricity hit his hand and traveled down his body. He didn't let go and pulled harder. Celia began to scream out in pain from being forcefully disconnected from her Innocence. Finally Kanda managed to rip it from her arm and threw it away far from her. Her body suddenly fell limp in their grip. Alice was the one to hold her unsconscious form before all the others.

"Celia! Celia!" she cried trying to wake her up. Her eyes slowly fluttered open revealing the blood red color that slowly went back to it's original amethyst.

"A...lice?" she mumbled getting up by herself.

"Celia!" she cried holding onto her. Celia looked up at the guys and was confused at what had happened. Then her gaze suddenly fell upon the Level Four that was ready to attack Lenalee and Komui. Allen thankfully managed to get it before it could attack.

"You guys!" she yelled at them but they were already heading up towards the bridge to where the Akuma had send Allen flying to. She tried standing but her legs were feeble on their own. The blood drawn had been too much, her body had begun to feel ther rebound.

"You've gone as far as you can, Celia," Alice said holding onto her sister.

"B-But," she grunted. The guys were holding onto Allen's Innocence to hold against the Level Four's power. The burst of power blinded them both. When they opened their eyes again it was only to see more misfortune. Kanda and Lavi were already defeated and couldn't go on more. The Level Four was who held onto Allen's feeble form by his head. "No. Allen!"

At that moment she landed on it with red blood boots on her legs. Celia stared at her dumbfounded. Was that her? Was that really her with that new Innocence?

"Lenalee..."

"How dare you do this to our home," she hissed to it. Dragging Celia out of the way, Alice managed to get her to a close perimeter to where the guys were. Glancing up, Celia saw how Lenalee had taken a leap up into the air but it had been way too fast.

"Could you see them, Yu?" Lavi asked astonished.

"No..." Kanda answered just as shocked.

"Alice..." Celia called to her sister.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Get Xiao for me," she simply said.

"No!" she cried getting the attention of the guys. "You are not synchronizing with him again!"

"Listen to me!" she called to her shutting her up. "You can purify it. Even is it only gives me five minutes, I'll be the one in control."

"Are you seriously thinking of turning to that thing now!" Lavi bellowed.

"I need to help them," Celia groaned from her pain.

"Zzbt." Celia's head turned to Navi who had, throughout it all, stayed by her side under her hood. "You don't need to. You just want to atone, isn't that so?"

"Isn't that-?" Lavi mumbled.

"It is..." Kanda hissed.

Tears ran down her face as a smile crept up her lips, "I knew you couldn't die like that. You just couldn't!"

"Of course, not." Another interference, "Who the hell do you think I am?"

"A stupid old fart," Celia chuckled.

"I'll be getting you later for that one." The transmission changed to another reciever but Navi stayed with the line. From the upper levels a huge blast came that tore apart the walls of that place. "The evacuation is off. Komui, this beer-bellied punk is going to make a lovely little sample for testing."

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><p><strong>Whoa. That was just creeeeppyyyyy! Well the whole thing with Celia's innocence was. <strong>

**Oh well. This goes for all of you!**

**Please review!**


	25. Retrace XXIII

**Thanks to all of you guys who keep reading this story. I know I'm going somewhat fast for some but it's in hopes to get most of this story out before I have to go back for summer. Don't worry I'll still have time to write it'll just be in the slower pace than it is now. :D**

**Okay thanks to everybody!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXIII: The Only Kindess that Matters is the Truth<strong>

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><p>"I have it," Alice said coming with the heavy rapier in hand.<p>

"You're taking the thing back?" Lavi asked.

"Not to fight with the Level Four. Cross is right. I'm trying to repent for what I did. I mustn't have that mindset while fighting Akuma. Otherwise Albus will take over again." Celia nodded to Alice who plunged the sword's blade into the cement as hard as she could.

"Can you feel them?" Alice said narrowing her eyes.

"I can," Celia said smirking as she bandaged her wounds with the rip parts of her sweater that Alice made. "But those bastards are sneaky. Who were those guys anyway?"

"Ammit and Prometheus," Alice said coming to her side once again. "They're followers of Janus. I've met them times before."

"That girl clearly didn't like me," Celia said with a sigh at how many people disliked her.

"Ammit is a bone-eater," Alice explained, this made Celia blink twice.

"S-S-So what she drew from her elbow...?" Celia said turning a bit blue.

"It was her bone."

She shruddered. "And...the other guy?"

"Prometheus, is the 'one who sees no evil," Alice said.

"He had- His hands- his eyes!" she said pointing at both things in reverse as she named them.

"That was the virus. When it doesn't successfully fuse with the vessel it begins muttations just like on any other human," Alice added.

"Then why haven't we...?"

"Because," Alice said a little tired of explaining. She took a breath, "You and I aren't normal."

Celia's eyes widened but then narrowed. She scrubbed her head in frustration and rolled her eyes finally heaving a great sigh. She stood up with her pure will ignoring her pain.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kanda called a bit tired.

"That's none of your buisness." She took Xiao in her hands and the tentacles threatened to take ahold of her again. "Do it." Alice nodded and drew on her bow only to shoot an arrow directly at the hilt making the tentacles retract.

"Innocence works on it?" Lavi said seeing what he did.

"It seems so." Celia said turning out to the rubble that was left. "Ready?"

Alice stood between Kanda and Lavi with her bow in place. "Ready."

"W-Wait! Ready for what?" Lavi called confused.

"For them," Celia mumbled. She whistled loudly at the darkness ahead. From it sudden cries began to be heard. The babies were nearing but halted midway. They began to grow a bone structure and began to grow. Soon they were the same height as any human being but had no arms as if they were tied back by a force jacket. "Whew," she whistled. She turned to Alice, "They can do that?"

"They are Ammit's creations. All bone she eats goes back to the flesh that leaves her body. It's up to her when she wishes for them to grow up," Alice said pulling the string.

"Okay. Okay." She pointed at each one of the overgrown babies. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine... Ten of you and one of me. Oh," she sobbed mockingly. "What's a poor girl to do?"

"Stop joking around. They're coming!" Alice called opening fire to the things that suddenly charged at her. Going over them like sitting frogs, she avoided the arrows that pierced the first three. Two more came to her and she did something she hadn't practiced in actual combat. Lenalee had shown her once some waltzing. The swiftness of the moves, if only they could be used in combat. What better way to start than here. Taking three steps in a speeded tempo, she swiftly avoided the attacks.

"What in the..." Lavi said watching her. "How?"

"She's dancing," Kanda noticed saying the words along with Alice.

Leaping over another one, she turned a 180 while at the same time igniting Condemning Hellfire and sending an arc of magenta fire that swept away the remaining. She jumped, "Woo hoo! I did not know I could do that!" she said rather oblivious of her attitude.

"What's she so happy about?" Lavi chuckled not noticing his glee about her.

"That she's in control of herself again." Alice's words struck Kanda.

His glance suddenly went behind Celia, "Behind you!"

But before she could even turn a great arm held her from the neck lifting her up and strangling her. She kicked and grabbed the forearm that held her tightly.

"You shouldn't be celebrating just yet."

"It's the big guy from the Ark!" Lavi called recognizing Odin.

Celia looked up at him and only grinned, "I'm not alone this time." An arrow pierced right through his skull which made him stagger back letting go of her. She stepped away but only to charge up at him. Stepping on his reclining body and then stabbing Odin's head with her rapier. She grinned, "And you're not getting away this time either, Oddie." The whole body began to solidify. Taking Xiao away she stood apart from it as it turned to dust. Out of nowhere she fell to a sit exhausted.

"Celia!" Alice called in concern.

"I'm fine!" she shouted back throwing her head back. Alice sighed in relief.

"She's crazy," Lavi mumbled with a smile.

"She's more than that," Alice answered smiling too.

"She's just plain insane," Kanda added.

"I heard all of you!" Celia yelled mad but the explosion from not far took their eyes away. The Level Four had escaped the grip that Lenalee and Allen had on it. That didn't last long though for Cross began his style of execution against the Akuma. "How in the hell..." she hissed pissed at how strong he was. The Level Four got hit by Judgement's bullets and began to mutate out of its form. "That reminds me of something I've seen," she chuckled nervously remembering the countless of mutts. It tried escaping through the shutters but Allen held onto it. Even if he did, Generals Kloud and Sokalo were there waiting. Finally Lenalee and Allen when through the Akuma just as the shutters were closing.

It's head fell from the remains of the explosion. Cross 'accidentally' destroyed it, "Oops. So much for making him my test sample."

Celia scoffed, "You're an idiotic man with no backbone to face authorities."

"That's two, kid. But who's keeping count," she heard through Navi making her chuckle.

The message came through Navi at last, "Komui here. Halt the evacuation." Celia looked up at the shutters that were now closed. "The Level Four was destroyed. The long morning...is over." Celia heaved a breath and fell down to lay.

Alice walked over to her sister holding her injured left arm. "C'mon. We need to go back to get you checked. Celia?" She placed a hand on her chest but felt no rise or fall. Her eyes widened. She turned to yell, "Kanda-san! Lavi-san! Celia's-Celia's not breathing!"

"What?" Lavi called but Kanda won him to them.

He picked up Celia's upper body and put his ear closed to her mouth and ear. Nothing. "Shit." He laid her back down beginning the basic CPR he knew.

"Alice-san," Alice turned to see Lily on top of Bagira.

"Where were you?" Alice called hysteric.

"Protecting Dr. Marcus from harm," Lily answered hearing the disdain in Alice's tone. A coughing took their attention from their fight to Celia who had finally taken a breath.

Her eyes were barely opened but looked up to him, "What happened...?"

"You stopped breathing," Kanda said to her and touched her hand. It was warm. Way too warm. He touched her forehead. "I...I don't feel so good."

"You're burning up," he mumbled. Her body suddenly began writhing in pain as her hand landed on her left shoulder. Blood was leaking out of it. When he put her sleeve and hand down, Kanda's eyes widened at what he saw. The slit that had been the lids of the eye from before had healed but were trying to part again, threatening to reopen.

"It's the virus," Lily said getting closer to her. "Her body's suffering the rebound of using the infected form of her Innocence. She must be treated."

"There's no vaccine for the virus, you know that," Alice said ignoring the fact that her words sounded rather pessimistic.

"No there's not. But blood that has been with the virus for over fifty years has become a treatment for this rebounds," Lily said. She turned to Kanda, "Dr. Marcus has the treatment. Let me take Celia-sama to him."

Kanda didn't trust neither of them but right that moment Lily had what Celia needed. He carried her body and placed it on top of Bagira. "Hurry."

Once secured Lily gave the order, "Go!" Bagira went running away swiftly getting to higher grounds and exiting through thr bridge.

"You shouldn't have done that," Alice scowled at him.

"If she's going to get better I don't see why you're complaining," Kanda said walking away.

"Because the Evernly Family don't do favors!" she yelled after him. She bit her bottom lip, "She'll be in their debt."

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><p>Celia slowly opened her eyes again. Her head didn't feel dizzy anymore. Her ears weren't bussing and her heart didn't feel like it was to jump from her ribcage. And that pain, oh that horrible pain was gone for good. She still felt warm but well nonetheless. She sat up slowly holding her head and feeling bandages holding on her left shoulder and arm replacing her pieces of sweater plus her other injuries.<p>

"You're awake."

She turned her head slowly to face Marcus in a wheelchair. "Doctor..."

"Don't speak. You're still weak," he said patting her hand. That's when she felt the small tube that was feeding her a red liquid. Blood. "You needed a transfusion. I also gave you something for that pain."

"Painkillers?" she said.

He shook his head, "My blood."

"What?" she said turning her head to him to fast making her hold it.

"Easy there child. My blood is also infected with the virus but since I have survived countless of rebounds from that infection I have become immune to them. My blood may be no cure for it but at least it alleviates the pain of those horrible rebounds," he said rolling his wheelchair to the table and pouring some water. "And if my memory does not fail me, I believe you are in need of water."

"Thanks," she mumbled taking the glass and drinking, to her surprise, all of it. Grasping the glass to her hands and without raising her head she asked, "How come you're not delusional anymore?"

"It seems that ridding myself of some of the virus lessened the pain therefore I don't need that many drugs to calm it. I still need blood, the Matron gave me a transfusion. Although that blood, too, will get infected it will take some time," he said.

"How long have I been out?"

"No more than an hour. It seems your body intakes blood quite fast," Marcus commented.

"My body." She began thinking and about many things. One of them Alice's words. _"You and I aren't normal."_ She turned to the him. "You said you're infected too," she said as a fact more than a question.

Dr. Marcus smiled weakly and showed him his wrists. On them were small slits that were healed like wounds but that looked pinkish. "I have had the mutations for over forty-seven years. I was infected when I was still a teenager and under the Order's care. My father was the one who created the virus. He named it the Progenitor. Because the Order saw his virus and research futile they denied him to further his research. He, however, did not stop."

"He infected his own children," Celia said predicting this story.

"He dealt it with his hands to us, his three children. Even after he died, the experiments continued dealt by my own," he said sounding disappointed. "I was a fool. But I never expected for the virus to continue it's life through the offspring of my sisters."

"Will I die?" she asked the most dreaded question in her mind.

"There's no telling. Although mutations are a sign of rejection, there is no say. Some don't live much more than days while others like you, Alice or I have lived for years. There is just no saying for certain," he said sadly. She remained quiet.

"Alice..." she said catching him by surprise. "Alice said that she and I weren't normal." She turned to him, "What did she mean by that?"

Marcus sighed apparently dreading this question. "Although my brain fails me greatly, I regret that it did not help me forget what I did. I will tell you...all I can recall."

* * *

><p>Alice ran through the Order vigorously searching. When she bumped into someone she apologized but at seeing who it was she quickly regretted it but said nothing. "Kanda-san, have you seen my sister?"<p>

"Didn't that girl take her away an hour ago?" Kanda said.

"She did but when Marcus took her eyes off her for a few minutes she was gone," she told him.

"I haven't," he answered he original question.

"Dang," she hissed and kept on going searching for her in the great midst of injured and nurses and others.

Kanda stopped and thought for a minute. Where did the brat usually go when nobody found her? The place came right to his head which made him sigh. Ignoring the nurses who called to him to get checked he finally reached the rooms which were somewhat undamaged. He opened the door to his own and he saw something curled in the corner covered by white sheets. He could barely hear it, a faint sobbing. He closed to the loud enought to let her know someone had entered. The figure startled began to shuffle apparently wiping its tears away and trying to stop her sobbing.

"Your uncle and sister are looking for you," he said not getting an anwer from her. Only quiet choked sobs. "You ran away even when you're injured. Are you stupid or something?" Still no answer. He was starting to get pissed. He approached the ball and forcefully yanked the blanket away. Celia only curled in on herself, hiding her face and Navi stumbling off from her head. Mr. Jingles was on her feet with her ears low and his tail curled around is body, his head gently stroking against her ankle. Navi flew up again and landed on her head curling its wings in as if stroking her head.

They were consoling her.

"What the hells with you now?" he asked imprudently sitting on his bed. He couldn't stand her crying but he couldn't just let her be either.

"N-Nothing," she hiccuped.

"You've been bawling your eyes out, haven't you?" he asked straight out making her gasp.

"I have not!" she yelled at him finally raising her head making Navi roll down her back and fall once again.

"Your eyes are red and you're snotting. Tell me that again," he said condescendingly.

She wiped her eyes out along with her nose and burried them again, "Just leave me alone!"

"That's a new one. You've told me countless of things. 'Fuck off', 'douche', 'scumbag', 'asshole', plenty others that I can't recall. But you have never once told me that you want to be left alone," he said. "So either you're really insane or something is wrong."

"Marcus told me..." sh said slowly and nothing above a whisper. "How I was born."

"Really?" he snorted. "You're pathetic. Everybody's born the same way. Hasn't anyone told you that babies come out a women's-"

"Not like that!" she yelled shutting him up but giving him a frown. Tears ran down again, "My mother, Cecilia Evernly, was killed in battle. Marcus couldn't safe her. Alice and I were months early. We were stillborn." Kanda listened intently though he didn't know why. "My father was the one who told him to do everything he could to safe us. He was the one who did this to us!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he called tired of her whimpering.

"Marcus forcefully fused our weak cells with Innocence!" she bellowed in anger but renounced to tears nevertheless. He was astonished. Did he just hear right? But those experiments, the ones of forcefully making accomodators by placing Innocence in them, didn't work. How could they have worked on those two? It would've killed them.

"How aren't you..."

"Dead?" she scoffed knowing well of those experiment for Lenalee couldn't just keep to herself. "I don't know. Marcus just said that it was because the Innocence cells that were fused with ours grew with us. 'It successfully created a living weapon of God'," she said full of sarcasm on the last one. "That's why the Innocence was infected with the virus. Because the Innocence and I are one being. Albus and I are both infected and that's why I turned to that _thing_." She spat out the last word. "Even he said it, himself. When he created us, he thought us nothing more than abominations. Something nature didn't even want alive that he had to send us off to be incubated in an artificial womb."

_"Artificial...?"_he thought to himself. He'd seen wombs like those before. A long time ago. Could she have been born from one of those as well? But...when?

"You can't possibly believe that hoard of bullshit," he tried getting more information off from her.

"Alice said so herself. She remembers our birth but vaguely." She scoffed, "At leasts that's more than I do." She ran her hand through her thick hair to reveal the great scar that remained from that nasty head concussion she had suffered when small. "She does but at the same time doesn't, she says. All is just bits and pieces but it's all the same. We didn't complete our birth from our mother's womb but we still look human. We're human but we're still freaks. Who the hell can tell me, then, what the fuck am I?" Her cries were loud and filled with panic. She was starting to go crazy from having to understand so many things of herself and not knowing the answers herself. Only what other people told her.

He knew what that was like. _"Kanda, can you still that flower? You mustn't dwell on it. It's just an illusion. That's all it is, an illusion."_ He clenched his jaw. What a lie. That was an 'illusion' that even now as he stared at the girl crying before him, he could see. Not one but countless of lotus blossoms scattered about his room and shrouding her figure. Almost drowning her completely in all of their beauty.

He couldn't stand this anymore. He got up and knelt before her while patting her head with his great hand. This took Celia by surprise making her head snap up.

"You shouldn't cry." His voice was the same low scowl of always but something in her told her that he was trying to console her. "But if it hurts that much that you need to cry then... I guess that for today I'll let you stay. I won't tell nobody that you're here." He stood up and was about to leave.

"W-W-What are you saying?" she called confused.

"You can stay here and cry and feel sorry for yourself," he said harshly. "Or you can let it all out now and try to find out what, how, and why you happened to be. That's all I'm saying." He closed the door silently leaving her there standing. She sniffed and looked about only to see the lotus hourglass. She wiped her face away only to go to the bed and lay down.

"I don't get you..." she mumbled. "Were you, just now..." her eyes began to blur and her eyelids felt heavy. "Being nice to me?" _So...tired... _"Thanks...Yu." She couldn't have fallen asleep any faster. Kanda only stood for a few minutes against the door and waited to hear her soft snoring before actually leaving.

* * *

><p><strong>Heehee. How many chapters was that? Two, right? Woo hoo another duplex! XD<strong>

**Okay. Next time, another arc begins! :D What's gonna happen now? Should I keep you thinking until next week or just write right now? Nah, I'll keep writing and post it later. :) I'm not that mean. X)**

**Please review! **


	26. Retrace XXIV

**Hey there people! :D I am back again and first to thank the many awesome people who read and review this story!**

**Thanks Jeany Foster! XD  
>thanks to Shaybo27! Srry bout the phone! :P But thanks a lot about the two last chapters I missed your reviews! :)<br>Mi friend whom I've missed so much! T-T DarkFlame Alechemist~  
>Also FreeHugs0009 for the story alert! Hey, I love those too~ :D<br>And DR34DNOISE for the ch.20 review! Hey don't hate, I thank anybody for anything they do! ;D**

**So thanks in advance to all and every last one of you. ~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXIV: Clearing the Air<strong>

* * *

><p><em>"You should have left with him..."<em>

**"I couldn't just leave you here! He said- he said that they're going to start the tests. They saw you burning that thing."**

_"Then leave! If you can go, then just go! I don't want them to do those horrible things they did to him! to you"_

**"But what about you!"**

_"I don't care what happens to me...as long as you're safe." _

* * *

><p>No more than a week had passed since the attack on Headquarters. All higher ups had been called to Central for an emergency meeting. Cross, apparently, had left with Inspector Lveille as well. The loses were great and the funerals had been done quickly after the attack. For awhile everything seemed quiet as if the Order had stopped to function altogether.<p>

"I hope Kanda-san loses," Alice said watching as Kanda and Allen sparred in the training rooms.

"Ali-chan," Lavi mumbled getting a malevolent vibe from the younger twin. "Do you really hate Yu that much?"

"Of course I do!" she pipped like a little kid. "Celia's always running to him when she wants to talk to someone. I hate him for that."

"That's not hatred," Bookman cleared getting a taste of his pipe. "That's jealousy."

"What?" Alice barked. "I am not jealous of that transgender boy!"

"You sure sound like it," Lavi chuckled.

"Speaking of Celia, where is she?" Marie spoke up.

"Don't know." Alice sat pouting and mostly mad. "She went off this morning saying she needed to speak to someone in private. She send me off here with you guys."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," Lavi said sweat dropping.

"I don't like it," Alice said with all seriousness glaring at the duo who were kicking each other's ass. "She's too dependent of him. Of both."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean?" Lenalee asked walking around the hospital ward helping out the Head Nurse.<p>

"I haven't been feeling that well but it isn't anything serious. That's all," Celia sat cross legged on an empty hospital bed while Lenalee and the Head Nurse attended to the ones still in the hospital. "I just can't put my finger on what it is!" she pouted ruffling her own head in frustration.

Her hair was now much, much shorter than what it used to be. Celia had asked Lenalee to help her cut it. After the attack she noticed that her long hair was only a burden. So Lenalee cut it in a stylish way but still shorter. Now instead of having it long to her ankles and having to tie it up every time, she had it cut so that it caressed her shoulders in the front while it grazed her shoulder blades behind. This was way easier on her and her head felt way lighter as well.

"Well you can tell us how you feel when you're 'not feeling well'," Lenalee suggested coming to her. "Maybe we could figure it out together." The Head Nurse stopped her usual morning inspections to listen to the distressed girl.

"W-Well," she said clearing her throat and not liking at all the complete attention they were giving her. "It's going to sound kinda crazy but-" she took a deep breath- "Here I go." She started to fiddle with her necklace again, a sign of nervousness. "It's started a few days ago. I kept feeling this tightness in my chest and I was getting this weird feeling in my stomach. It's like little bugs running in it and their little feet are tingling my insides. I feel my face warm and my throat a little dry. I can't speak but when I do I began to stutter." She sighed, "Some thing's wrong with me."

The Head Nurse chuckled getting Lenalee and Celia's full attention. "Let me guess, does this happen every time you see a certain someone?"

"Yes!" Celia blurted out thanking God that somebody finally got what was happening to me.

"Oh," Lenalee said in realization and began to giggling uncontrollably.

"What?" she blurted out confused. "Would someone tell me what's wrong with me?" Both could tell the anxiety in her voice.

"There's nothing wrong with you child," the Head Nurse said leaving to tend to her patients.

"Then what do I have," she pleaded to Lenalee who seemed to know what was the matter with her.

"You have a little crush," Lenalee said giggling as if speaking to a child.

"A...crush?" her voice cracked just as she felt her face heat up again. She burried her face in a nearby pillow and couldn't keep her voice from stuttering. "T-T-T-T-T-T-T-That's impposible!"

"Why? You're a girl. You're allowed to fall in love from time to time," Lenalee assured her.

"B-B-But I couldn't possibly I-I-I mean liking someone is stupid._ I_ think it's stupid. I've never liked someone. I mean how!" She was more confused that alleviated by the answer to her symptoms.

"I'm sure you've spent a lot of time with that person. So it's only natural that something more than friendship blossomed in it's place," Lenalee cooed.

"I'm not a child, Lena," she hissed through gritted teeth which only got Lenalee to giggle more.

The doors to the hospital ward came open and in came Reever. "Ah, finally. Lenalee, Celia, the Chief has called for a meeting with all Exorcists."

"A meeting?" Celia called jumping off the bed and getting her mind out of the crush thing.

"Head Nurse," Reever turned to her. "Have you seen Allen and the others?"

"Aren't they in their hospital rooms?"

"I heard Kanda and Allen talking about sparring and the others just followed!" Celia cooed in before leaving for Komui's office. She could hear the rampage that the Head Nurse was doing about them leaving without being discharged. Okay, maybe she couldn't deal with the little 'being in love' issue but sure as hell could she create more havoc to distract her from it.

* * *

><p>"It's your fault I got punished," Alice pouted rubbing her throbbing ear.<p>

"Sorry, I forgot you were with them," Celia said feeling bad about telling on them.

After repproaching them about the seriouness of the issue while pointing at their swollen ears -which made Lenalee and Celia giggle to themselves- Komui began the real reason why they were called to his office. They knew that her Innocence hadn't turned into a parasitic-type like Allen's but it wasn't just any ordinary equipment-type weapon either. The rings on her ankles were the apparent source of her Innocence and were made of her blood.

"Could it be like my Xiao and me?" Celia said interrupting Reever.

"We had that idea in mind as well, Celia," Reever assured. "But there's a major difference. While Xiao does depend on your blood to strengthened itself as a weapon, it still causes the side effects of you being a parasitic-type. Lenalee's, on the other hand, uses the blood as it's only source of power to create the weapon and perhaps even repair it if damage is done."

"Okay, just asking," Celia said snuggling back into the sofa which her and Alice were using.

They all became grossed out about the talk about blood and how this new crystallisation-type came to use it as it's medium to activate. Celia wasn't as interested anymore and looked away to different parts of the office. When she heard the clicking of doorknob turning, her head snapped sideways to see Lily pushing Dr. Marcus in his wheelchair, Bagira closely behind them.

"Ah, Doctor. We were wondering when you would get here," Komui said looking his way. The others glanced at the old man being pushed around by a little girl.

Alice and Celia stood and nodded his way in respect towards their uncle. "Alexander." "Dr. Marcus"

He chuckled at the distinctive names each one used for him, "You two are too humble with this old man."

"Why are you here?" Celia asked confused. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I came because Supervisor Lee asked me to in order to explain to all what occured to you," Marcus said.

Celia went cold at the mention of that. She didn't want them to know what kind of monster she'd turn out to be. "D-Do you have to?"

"It's in order to be aware of your condition, Celia-chan," Komui said with a small smile. "I know it must be hard for you but it will let them know how to help themselves and help you when it happens again."

"You're making it sound like it's suppose to happen again," Celia said through clenched teeth.

"Celia..." Alice mumbled in concern entwining her fingers through hers. "Just seat down. This is something they all have to hear."

"You agree with them?" she whispered to Alice confused and shocked.

"It's the best option for all Celia because it's something you have to accept in order to live with it," Marcus interrupted her tantrum making her sit down while Alice sat on the arm of the chair. He turned to the other Exorcists ignoring his nieces. "Well, I'm sure that most of you have heard of what happen to my oldest niece the day of the attack."

"Heard? _We_ saw it," he said poiting at himself and Kanda. Kanda only elbowed him in the stomach to be quiet. He glanced over at Alice and Celia, who was only burrying her face against the armchair. "S-Sorry."

"Well, then this will be a whole lot easier to explain if I just show you." He removed his hands from his laps revealing the small rectangulat metal box on him. Raising his hands he showed them the slit on his wrists. "Since my youth I have been infected with the same virus that my great-grandfather had planned but that my father accomplished."

"I remember reading about that," Reever spoke up. "The Arthur Evernly created the Progenitor virus rendering it to be what would create the future with more powerful soldiers than anything God could gives us."

"You want the short version," Celia finally spoke up leaning her elbows on her knees and cupping her chin. "That Arthur guy infected his three children: Evangelique, Alezander, and my mother, Cecilia. I don't know what happened to my aunt but I know she had a kid, Janus Kaleido. He's infected as well and is an accomodator of Innocence."

"He's gone crazy with power though," Alice added. "The infection lives in our blood cells and travels throughout our body. It debilitates us and if the body cannot fuse with the new and more powerful blood then it begins to mutate to accustom and loses all consciousness of what it once was. Celia's shoulder and Alexander's wrists show the slight effects of mutations under control."

"When Cecilia was still pregnant with Alice and I, she died because the Order had told her to go out on missions although it was imperative that she remained in bedrest. Ironically, it wasn't her own body that killed her but an Akuma. In the end, we weren't suppose to be alice either but Marcus promised my father he would do everything he could to save us. What he didn't tell him though was that he would turn us into some abominations."

"Calm down," Alice said plaacing a hand on her shoulder which she quickly shook off.

"Well I said it was short. To 'save us', Marcus strengthened our weak but growing cells with Innocence." Gasps from the ones who weren't well informed came. Celia only averted her gaze, "Those experiments from before failed but somehow I think these were successful because the Innocence grew while we did. So instead of a real womb, he placed us in this artificial one and to their surprise six months later, ta-da. We came."

"Blunt to say the least," Kloud was the first to comment.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Celia said leaning against the armchair again.

"As my niece so tactlessly informed you," Marcus said harshly making Celia yawn. "My attempt to save my sister's children I infused Innocence with their undeveloped human cells. It seems both fused together and created their parasitic-type Innocence by using their whole body as a medium. However I did not foresee that the virus would affect the Innocence in them."

"How could a man made virus affect Innocence?" Marie asked.

"Because both live inside of their body. Celia and Alice's blood carry Innocence fragments but their veins also carried those virus cells. As time passed those cells began attacking the healthy cells in order to survive inside of their host. Soon enough they infused with every blood cell and with it every fragment that forms their Innocence."

"So their Innocence is also infected with this virus," Sokalo concluded.

"Brightly deducted," Kloud called sarcasticaly.

"The virus created a nest on each of their bodies were they could reproduce without fear of dying when blood was lost. It harbors itself were blood loss is less likely to occur," Marcus explained.

"That would be... the heart and the brain, right?" Miranda said, adding to the conversation.

"Exactly," Marcus said with a nod. "What you gentlemen saw that day," he said speaking to Lavi and Kanda. "Was the form of the Innocence that materialized because of the blood that exited her body."

"Albus is a douchebag when he's infected but purified he's a saint," Celia added.

"Albus?" Lavi asked.

"The names of our Innocences were Albus and Atrum," Alice responded.

"White and Black," Bookman explained.

"When Albus escaped her body he began to attack her mind. The only way for them to take control is through the virus and the only way for that to happen is for the virus to attack the command center of the body, the brain."

"So if they would to be unconscious then the infected Innocence would take control right?" Allen asked.

"Well, Al-chan's not as dumb as I thought," Celia said playfully smirking.

"Thanks, Celia," he said sweat dropping.

"Why did her body change so much?" Kanda asked. His question made her look up to him but when their eyes locked for seconds she averted them feeling the warmness in her face again.

"Because when the Innocence takes control while infected it begins to demand more from the already stable relationship between body and blood. When the blood begans to become more powerful it needs a more qualified body to compensate for the power given. That gives the answer to why her body mutated so. When a human is infected with the virus through a diluted source, it mutates without a second's delay. But when it's as pure as it is in their body it can stabalize in their body but create severe mutations when need be for a more suitable body."

"So, would it be correct to deduce that the virus is a parasite?" Lavi asked Dr. Marcus. "After all, everything you've said so far gives out those attributes. The virus is the parasite while the human body the host. It makes home of the blood which travels throughout the whole body and creates nests on the body parts more like to survive damage. It gives great strengths to the host but when it sees it's life in peril it strengthens itself and in turn demans more of it's host therefore making them mutate." He bit the inside of his cheek, "One thing I don't understand though is why did it take control only after Ali-chan got attacked."

"It seems that Alice turned out to be the interruptor for Celia's powers," Marcus concluded.

"Interruptor?" Lenalee spoke up confused.

"The infected Inncence cannot control the body of its free will. It needs to mentally weaken the host first and give it the exit of the life-threathening situation," Marcus explained. "It used Celia's weakpoint, her love for Alice, to interrupt her common sense. Seeing Alice in danger blocked all else out and gave him a way in."

"So if Alice is hurt or in imminent peril, will Celia turn to that again?" Allen asked.

"More than likely, yes. If she does again, though, the most certain way will be to disconnect her Innocence from her and that will most likely stop her from mutating. Although if it is done that way she will suffer the rebounds all over again," Marcus answered.

"I suppose you didn't just come to tell us how dangerous this child is to herself and others, now, did you?" Tiedoll asked.

"Indeed, I did not," Marcus said moving his chair towards Celia and placing the metal box to face her.

"What's that?" Celia asked glancing at it.

"Something that might help you for the time being." He pressed both buttons on the front lid at the same time and made them turn clockwise letting the lid slid to the left and show the contents. Laid out evenly on a blue cushion were six small viles no larger than her thumb stacked to the left of the box while on the right was a small little injection gun with a removable needble that was the length of two viles. It reminded Celia of a mini watergun. "The science division and I managed this serum with my blood and Alice's."

"You gave up blood to them?" Celia asked her in disbelief whilst Alice just shrugged her shoulders.

"The serum worked though," Alice said with a smile. "It can purify any source for a great length of time."

"But it's not a cure," Celia said taking a little vile and checking the liquid inside against the light. It shone a aqua blue. "What does it do?"

"Besides dibilitating the side effects of the rebound, it mainly restraints the infection on a certain point therefore making you able to control the Innocence instead of the other way around," Marcus said taking out the small injection gun and putting the needle on it with a twist. Getting a vile he swiftly placed one in the opening and let the gun adjust as it made hisses and turns before stopping.

"A-And why the menacing gunny?" Celia said stutering at the long needle.

"Our plan's simple," Alice explained. "The most infected part of your body is your blood. Therefore we intend to purify the one organ that purifies blood from any external toxin."

"You're gonna inject her liver with that thing?" Lavi asked pointing at the shinning needle.

"Although we could inject her lungs and kidneys but it'd be a waste of serum since they just rid the blood of minor toxins," Alice thought aloud. "Oh well," she held onto Celia's shoulders keeping her from running which she was about to do. "We need to do this now."

"R-R-Right now!" Celia shrieked completely freaked by the needle. "I-I-I-I can't! No! Definetly no. L-L-Let the Head Nurse do it!"

"Don't you trust me?" Alice cooed childishly.

"You're a sadistic runt!" Celia called as the color drained from her face. "You're a beast when you try to cure anything! You're a tactless little brat!"

"Now stay still unless you want me to miss," Marcus said appraoching her.

"No!"

"I'll do it."

The whole room was quiet as they stared at the person who raised his voice. Kanda glared at them with no specific emotion besides his usual mood. "I'll poke the brat so she stops whinning."

Celia nodded vigorously and when she felt Alice's grip loosen she got away and snuck behind Kanda. "Y-Y-Yeah, you heard him. He'll- I am not whinning. Have you seen the size of that thing?"

"Stop. Talking." His growl made her zip her lips.

"What makes you so bloody darn caring all of a sudden?" Alice grunted at him with a glare.

They both locked glares until Kanda sighed, "I'm not. I just want her to shut the hell up."

"For once I agree with him. Let him do it. I'll be fine," Celia said motioning for them to put that stuff away.

"As long as she gets these shots once a week, I cannot argue," Marcus said putthing it all away. Lily pushed him up to Kanda and handed him the box which he took reluctantly. "When they run out please come see me for more."

"Well that was about everything I wanted you guys for. You may leave," Komui said dismissing them from his office. The groups dispersed and took off to their directions.

"Dr. Marcus," Celia said coming to him before he left. "Will this serum work for long?"

"As always I ca-"

"You cannot tell," she said mumbling the words she already knew would come out of his mouth. She nodded, "I should've known."

"It'll work for the time being. Don't worry child, I'm working against time to find a cure. Even if it will not safe me, if it can safe you two I'll be in peace with what I have done," he assured patting her hand.

"Thanks doc," she said with a little smile.

"I'll be on my way then," Marcus said smiling too. He turned to the girl, "Lilian, if you would."

"Yes, Dr. Marcus," Lily said to him. She bowed to the twins, "Alice-san, Celia-sama." And just like that were on their way.

Taking a great breath, she turned to Kanda with a wry smile, "Wanna go get it over with right now?"

"Can't do. I have to go eat. I'll do it afterwards," he said with somewhat of a hurry for he threw the box at Celia who almost didn't catch it. Even before she got to yell at him, he was already out of Komui's office.

"Prick," Celia mumbled under her breath.

"What did you agree to him doing it?" Alice said monotonely. "I could've done it. Why did it have to be him?"

"He offered. Plus it nothing against you, Ali. He's just well..." she scoffed at her own stupidity. "It's just him, I guess." She sighed, "I'm gonna go to the training grounds. Wanna come?"

She shook her head, "I'm going to go shower." With that said in a cold tone, she left in a sped off walk. Celia dismissed it as her just being Alice and walked to her room to leave the box.

* * *

><p>"Dr. Marcus."<p>

Lily stopped to turn to the voice who had called to the doctor. Seeing who it was, she turned him over to face the person.

"Ah, I believe it was Kanda Yu-kun, right?" he said with a smile.

"Kanda. I was wondering Celia mentioned that they were born from artificial wombs. Do you, by any chance, remember where these wombs where at?" he asked with a tone of voice that sounded the closest to politeness and on the verge of niceness. He didn't bother with his usual moodiness, he really needed to know this.

"Well, my boy, I believe, if my memory those not fail me, that I had taken them to the Asian Branch," Marcus said.

"But there are no records of anybody like them being born," Kanda suggested.

"Of course there wouldn't," Marcus laughed it off. "I took whatever measures necessary to keep it so. Good thing Inspector Levllie isn't here. He would've interrogated us three."

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Boy, the Evernly Family was suspected of treason to the cross and the Holy Father. That's why we got removed from the Black Order in my time. Although we weren't, I can see why they would want us out of the Order, the higher ups. That's actually why Cecilia was being sent to missions even when she needed rest or why my brother-in-law went missing. They knew that creating something close to an independent Innocence was a danger to them. If the Innocence were to rebel against them who was to say that they could be stopped. It was a relief that they didn't find out that those two were born. If they knew then what they know now it would've ended with them being killed."

"Dr. Marcus, it's time for your dialisis," Lily reminded her.

"Oh yes, that's right," he said and looked at Kanda again. "Tell me boy. Have I seen you before? You seem rather familiar to me?"

"I'm afraid not," he answered.

"Mmh," Marcus mumbled in thought. "I could've sworn then again my memory fails me greatly..." his rambling continued while Lily took him away to the hospital ward.

So Kanda's gut feeling was right. When Celia told him about those artificial wombs that night he had suspected that they were the ones from _that _place but he needed to be sure. And with Dr. Marcus' claim that they were indeed born in the Asian Branch cleared one mystery but raised many others. If they were born there, why couldn't he remember seeing them? After all, Kanda had born there as well but then again some other had been born before him.

Could it be -he clenched his fists and stormed out on the thought- that _he_ knew them?

* * *

><p><strong>Do you guys know which <em>he <em>i referred to at the end? Guess but I'll say one thing, it's not Kanda.**

**Next time will be moving time~! ;3 the Order's moving and our little Evernly twins will have a blast. Keep tuned till next time! :D**

**Please review!**


	27. Retrace XXV

**Well...here we are once again :) Sorry about the slow updates guys. Got summer band camp and although I'm not doing as much it's still stressing. My last year though, don't know if that's happy or sad or both. :l**

**Oh well, let's get to what you all came for yeah?**

**But first a little thanks like always :D  
>-Jeanny Foster: yes Jean, I think you're thinking what i was thinking... hope that makes since -.-;<br>-Shaybo27: just to keep it between us, let's say you're *coughclosecough* and! AND! I hope that the last chapter cleared some of the question I know u had about the virus and the innocence thing. :P**

**And I believe that is it. Hope I didnt miss anybody. If I did... SORRY! D:**

**NOW! let's get to what you guys came for~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXV: If Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat, Then What Did?<strong>

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><p>"Would you stop humming? You're distracting me."<p>

"I-I-I can't seem to." She was sweating because of her anxiety. That thing was sharp. And that thing was getting closer to her abdomen. "When I get nervous I start doing retarded stuff."

"Aren't you always?" Kanda's held the injection gun in his hand already nearing her. She flinched again when he hadn't even touched her. He sighed in frustration putting the thing down harshly against the bed. "That's it. I'm not doing it."

"W-W-W-Wait! Kanda! I'm sorry! I'll stop moving!" she pleaded to him grabbing ahold of his shirt. "Please. I swear I won't move!"

He sighed again in the same frsutration but decided to sit down again next to her right after he got the injection from the side. "You've been delaying this for two days already. How much longer do you expect my patience to last."

"You have some?" she perked sheepishly making him stand up again. "No! I'm sorry!" She grabbed him by his waist this time but slid off falling on the floor of his room. She got up rubbing her red nose. "It's just... I'm freaked about what that thing will do to my."

"It's gonna help you. What's so damn scary of that?" he growled getting her by her forearm and pushing her to the bed again.

"T-That I don't know if it'll work," she said lowering her head. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"The only way you'll know is if you try it, right?" She looked up to him and seeing his annoyed glare she simply sighed and took in a breath. Sucking it up, she raised her shirt only enough for her lower abdomen to be seen. With her and she counted her ribs and finally found the spot. Placing two fingers on either side she stretched it to be smoother. "O-Okay. Just pinch it in the spot between my two fingers. That's more or less where the liver is." She gulped at the next part, "You'll probably have to push the needle all the way in to pierce through to the insides."

"Fine," was all he answered with which didn't really poured out assurance to her. She cringed her eyes shut and tried her best to think of something else. With the tactness that only he had, Kanda plunged the needle in with one swift push all the way in. A little yelp came from her mouth but she quickly shut herself up. Without waiting for her to tell him to, he pressed the trigger and saw the vile quite fast empty itself into her organ.

At the same time his finger pressed the trigger her face went blue. She lowered her head and couldn't help the high pitched yelp that kept coming. Once the liquid was completely gone, Kanda pulled the needle out and Celia immediately placed the alcohol gauze over the pinch rubbing it vigorously.

"Damn you!" she hissed rubbing it to make the stinging go away.

"You whine either ways don't you." He removed the needle and placed it in a dish with pure alcohol to disinfect it before storing it back in the box. He placed the gun back into it, though, and placed it next to the dish. "There. All done."

"You're a heartless bastard, Kanda Yu." She was still rubbing that spot over and over.

"It was just a needle, you crybaby."

"It wasn't the needle that hurt." Celia said sniffing the tears that stung her eyes. "The liquid. When it came in, it was like a warm liquid that all of a sudden turned ablaze. I wanted to freaking slap you."

"Had you done that I would've killed you," Kanda retorted.

"Not before I had," Celia said finally feeling the burning sensation ebb away.

"Just shut your trap Valentine." He sighed remembering something, "We have to go through this again next week too. Shit."

"You're complaining? I'm the one getting the needle job here!" she yelled at him.

"Just-" he groaned already being annoyed by trying to do that simple job for the last two days. "Get out. Shouldn't you and the Evernly brat be packing?"

"Alice is packing the room," Celia said cleaning the needle and putting it in place and closing the box altogether to take back to her room. "But I guess. It'll only be until we pack everything right?" She shrugged her shoulders while opening the door, "If it's the whole Order moving. I bet we'll be done soon."

* * *

><p>"You really packed everything wrong didn't you?" Celia stared in disbelief at the boxes in her room.<p>

"What are you talking about?" Alice pouted with her hands on her hips. "I did my best and all our room is done. We can go help the others to make the move faster."

"You packed durable things with fragile ones. You left no room for us to cross over to the bed. And you closed the boxes wrong." Celia sighed while scratching her head, "You know what? I'll let the ones actually moving them to worry about it. For now I just want to get the stupid move over with."

"Have you gotten the injection yet?" Alice asked.

Celia gulped touching the place were the little bandaid was at, "Yeah. I got it."

"How do you feel?"

"Better actually. I can breath easier. My chest doesn't hurt that much either," she answered clutching her chest.

"Alexander said that you heart's illness is more than likely related to the virus nesting in it," Alice said out of nowhere.

"Really?" she said scratching her cheek while moving boxes about to reach her closet. Once she made a pathway she began to look around for a comfortable outfit for the moving. "You've been spending a lot of time with him, huh? That's good. Getting better aqquainted to family, I mean. I wish I had time for that."

"You keep getting send to missions and spend most of the free time trianing or with those idiots," Alice mumbled.

"They're not idiots, Alice," Celia remarked hearing her. She thought about it for a moment, "Okay. Maybe Lavi is and Komui definitely but everybody else took care of me when I was looking out for you and Marcus. You shouldn't speak bad about others."

Celia decided to leave her white shorts on and decided on an blue tank top with a black jacket and strapped sandels. "Anyway. I'm going to be helping to science division with their moving. They're the ones who have most crap to get in boxes. See there, Alice?"

"Sure..." Alice mumbled and let Celia leave the room. Alice punched the box nearest to her leaving a clear dent on it and hearing something break loudly in the inside. She was getting tired of this. Tired of having to share with people she didn't know. She wanted Celia to be with her. To see only her. To love her. She couldn't stand it, Celia giving her attention to all of them. Specially _those _two.

_"Don't like it? Fix it..."_

* * *

><p>"These is completely against my ethics. However, I will find it absolutely comprehensable to kill the jerks who thought this shit up!" Celia yelled in Reever's face. The black cat ears on her head twitching from anger.<p>

"You dropped something, didn't you?" Reever said pointing at the ears and at the black tail that was sprung out in annoyance.

"No shit!" she bellowed at him, ears and tail springing out even more. She grabbed both ears pulling them down against her head. "I'm a cat. Why...Why would you guys concoct something so useless."

"It actually was an accident. You see we were making this other potion to-"

"I don't care how you came up with it! Just fix it!"

"Sorry but can't do." Reever went over to Marie.

"It'll eventually come off, Celia. Just bear them for now, please?" Johnny said stepping back before she could burst out in anger.

"Bear with it. How the hell am I to bear with these things popping out of me!" she yelled at them after they were gone.

Suddenly she felt a shiver up her spine. Somebody. Was touching. Her tail.

"It's all fluffy too. You're really a cat, huh?" She turned to snatch away the new part of her body when she noticed who had just spoken.

"H-How..." she mumbled pointing at the two kids before her. One redhead, the other with a long ponytail. Both wearing clothes several sizes too big.

"It was the stupid usagi's fault," Kanda called out.

"Forget us. Look at Celia. She grew a cat tail and ears. Touch it, Yu. It's all fluffy and stuff," Lavi said passing it over to Kanda while squishing the end of Celia's tail and sending more shivers down her back.

"Why the hell would I want to touch that?"

"Okay, enough you brats," she called snatching the tail from Lavi's hands. "Shouldn't you be helping out or something?"

"Shouldn't you?" Kanda backfired.

"We can't while wearing these!" Lavi called to her. "We were looking for Reever to go complain!"

"I just did. He does not care," Celia said trying to control her anger.

When the two 'little guys' got to complain to Reever, other concocts had taken others as well. Kanda, Lavi, and Celia's conditions were only the start. Bookman grew bunny ears, luckily for Celia she wasn't the only animal. And Allen's, along with Timcanpy's, hair grew several inches longer.

Celia chuckled as Tim flew into her hands, "You look cute Timmy. Here I want to do your hair."

Lavi stared at the black tail that swayed back and forth following it with his eyes. He pulled on Kanda's loose clothes.

"What?" Kanda called already pissed off enough. Lavi pointed at it and smirked.

"There," Celia called leaving Timcanpy with two fluffy pigtails. "All cute and nice."

"That's just wrong, Celia," Allen said sweat dropping.

"Hey, Tim likes it so screw yo-AH!" Her body shuddered vigorously just as she jumped off from the sofa. She looked at her tail with a bow half way down. "W-Who the hell did it!"

Kanda pointed at Lavi almost immediately. Lavi sweat dropped. "I was only trying to tie a pretty bow in it."

"Pretty bow my ass," she said taking it off and was about to throw it on the grown when she remembered something. "Pretty bow, huh?" she repeated with a smirk on her face.

"You're screwed," Kanda called to Lavi leaving to Bookman and Lavi's room to change into some fitting clothes. A few minutes afterward he saw Lavi enter the room just as he was done changing. The young Bookman Jr. was dressed in a little petticoat dress of pink color with ribbons all over and his hair in a little tail with a pink bow. "I told you."

"She's the devil," Lavi said more humiliated than ever ripping off the makeshit dress and bow. "She forcefully put it on me! She's gonna get it when I'm back to normal."

* * *

><p>"What happened to you?" Alice said with a gasp looking at Celia who only frowned.<p>

"Don't ask." She was carrying a couple of boxes and taking them to the designated area to be dropped off. Putting them off both walked back to were most of the packages were. "Besides, the sooner we get done the better."

A sudden explosion came drawing their attention. Running over to the receding smoke all they heard was meowing and it came from Bookman and Lenalee.

Celia sighed in frustration, "Komui's going to kill you all." Feeling a sudden pull on her jacket, Celia turned to see Alice with her head down. "Alice?"

"I hear...someone...crying," Alice mumbled shaking a bit.

"Alice," Celia said looking at her straight in the face. "Are you feeling okay?" But before she could answer her the whole place went pitch black. Celia's ear's twitched at the many voices that spoke but they immediately perked up when she heard the door's creaking.

"Somebody's coming," she called alongside with Marie making everybody quiet down.

But from the door only came through the Head Nurse. It was weird for Celia. It was the potion, though, that hightened her sight in the dark.

"H-Head Nurse?" Allen spoke up first.

"Wow," Reever called. "You can see really well in the dark."

"Ah, during my training years, we had to be stingy so I developed night vision," Allen sighed giving a small smile.

"Haha," Celia giggled to herself. Cross' way of training was harsh but his leaving conditions were the worst. Out of nowhere, the Head Nurse bit Allen's arm. They pulled her back but Miranda was naive enough to get closer only to get bitten as well. When Marie and Lenalee went to check on her, she was alright until she bit Marie. After the chain of events, all hell broke loose.

"I don't think they're in their sanest," Celia chuckled in nervousness.

"They're coming!" Alice yelled and just like that the crowd of zombies charged at them. Lenalee jumped up with Bookman and Kanda while Allen protected the rest. Before anything worse happened they ran away.

* * *

><p>"You're heavy, Lavi," Celia hissed as she picked up Lavi to look out the small window. Why didn't he use Bookman as a stool instead of Kanda?<p>

"Thanks. You can put me down now," Lavi called and Celia dropped him to his feet. They slumped down while the twins stood together.

Alice pulled on Celia's sleeve again, "What now?" She pointed at the dark corner of the room just as Komui finished speaking.

"Because I created the virus."

"Secure him!" But in a matter of minutes the tables turned around and Komurin EX had already tied them and beaten them up.

"Is this why you didn't want to get involved in the racket?" Alice asked sitting on a crate.

"I knew they wouldn't last," Celia sighed leaning against another crate. "By the way," she turned her head. "You said something before the lights went out. That you heard a voice or something. What did you hear?"

"A girl," Alice said. "Or mostly a girl. It sounded like a mix of a lot of people's voices mixed together. They were sad and crying."

"I see," she patted her thigh. "Don't worry we'll see what's up once we get this thing over with."

"Yeah, thank you," Alice said in a soft voice. Komui finally let everybody go to look for a way to find the source of the virus and create a vaccine for Komuvitan D. "How do you think we'll get out though."

"We'll find a way. I guess you could say we're bound to at least," Celia said with a sigh.

"You don't think..." Alice started deep in thought. "Marcus was at his room and so was Lilian. Do you think...?"

"Oh yeah. No doubt about it," Celia said looking to the side. "They're already goners."

"Thought so," Alice said. The bursting of the wall to their right brought them to their feet once again and in full alert. All havoc broke off and when Komurin EX shot the missiles everyone lost everybody from sight.

* * *

><p>"G-Great," Celia panted as she closed the heavy doors of the chapel behind her and locked them shut.<p>

"I wonder how you survived in this place for nine years," Alice said catching her breath faster than Celia.

"I-I don't know either," Celia said again. When she heard hitting on the door she backed away pulling Alice with her. They hid behind the crates that were they for the move already packed. "We're most safe here for now."

"Didn't you have Xiao with you?" Alice asked her with high hopes.

"Yeah but I left it at the room. I wasn't expecting a freaking attack from crazed people." The hitting on the door became greater. Alice burried her head onto Celia who only tried comforting her. "Don't worry. It'll all work out somehow."

"How can you say that?" Alice said.

"I'm your big sister," Celia smirked. "Why would I lie?"

A rustling came by and both stood up to see a little figure. Celia's ears twitched at recognizing the figure, "L-Lily?"

"Celia-sama! Alice-san!" the little blonde called in concerned running over to them. But before any of them could react Lily had already gone by and bitten Alice on her neck. She slumped down unconscious.

Lily turned to Celia, "Celia-sama shouldn't be a bad kid. Just come and live with us now." Alice roused but only to come back alive as one of them. Both of their faces had the veins visibly strained.

"Great..." Celia said stepping back. "Just great."

"Too bad you're all alone, sis," Alice said with a snicker. "This time no one's gonna help you."

"Who says I need help?" Celia smirked.

"You're about to scream for it..."

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><p><em><strong>Just like that the night ended. The next day, Branch Chief Bak came and after much hardships managed to create a vaccine.<strong>_

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><p><strong>Well... that's it for that very funny arc in my opinion. I loved that one specially cuz lavi and kanda are both little kids. :3<strong>

**Please review!**


	28. Retrace XXVI

**I'm skipping most of the intro to go right to the story. My hope's to finish this chapter before tomorrow night to spend sometime playing Silent Hill. That shit's hard as hell! :( But I will do it!**

**Okay then I'll get right to it!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXVI: Resulting Penalties<strong>

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><p>Celia punched Navi sending her flying into a downward spiral. Once she regained her balance, Navi flew once again to Celia, not minding the violence, and sat on the top of her head. Celia sighed again and picked up her knees to keep out the cold. Once again she had been stupid at four in the morning for all she was wearing on that cold night were her silk pijama shorts and tank top with a simple blue cotton jacket.<p>

Outside through the window she could hear the thunder and the rain pouring down and constantly hitting against the windows of the place. The thunder struck followed by lightning then became quiet. It struck again and remained quiet. The drops just kept hitting hard and long as if to dread her coming there.

She was at the chapel from before, more small boxes than crates filling the inside. Allen, Lenalee, Johnny, Komui and some other had left almost two days ago to get the new headquarters ready. They had left all the rest in the old headquarters or what remained of it. She was frustrated. She had wanted to go there but Komui opted for her not to. If she couldn't then she simply did what was her second choice.

_"What's this?" Komui asked looking at the envelope in his hands. _

_"A letter." Celia burried her hands in her pockets. "I know perhaps he may not be there but I have a feeling he will. Maybe it's because I've lived with him before and whatnot but..." she shrugged her shoulders stopping her babbling. "Give it to Cross if you see him. Urge him to read it, yeah? If I can't go then all I have to say is there. Thanks, Komui. You guys have a safe trip."_

Those were the last words before they left. The letter... it had inside the words she couldn't possibly had said to Cross to his face. A thank-you letter was half of it, the other half was an explanation of what she was going to do after today.

In that piece of paper were written her next steps to her mentor. She would pursue after Janus and the others. If they were infected, she could use their blood to be examined and get more information about the virus. Marcus had told her that the more undiluted the source was the best chances there were to get a better result.

So far her family tree was pretty damaged to look for any sources. Marcus couldn't be used for his was already too overturned by mutation. Neither could they use hers or Alice's blood. They were too diluted plus Celia's was contaminated by Innocence-infected mutations and that affected the results. Evangelique and Cecilia were out of the picture. Celia didn't even know about her father or his whereabouts and although Marcus had told her that he was one that after joining the Evernly family was infected by the virus, he was her last option.

All in all, Janus seemed to be her only way to find a cure. From what she saw on their brief meetings Janus was not affected by the virus and although he was an accomodator of Innocence he wasn't mutated by it. There were no severe mutations to contaminate the results and he was the least diluted source of the virus they knew of. If they could catch him alive and bring him to the Black Order the science division might get a cure out of him.

She looked into the flame that burnt on the single candle that she had brought from her room. She caressed her palm over it and watched the flame turn from red to blue to magenta and back again. She could see a flicker a gold before it turned back to red but she discarded it. She'd been able to control weak flames ever since her mutation on her left shoulder happened.

"Navi...?" The tinkling gave spoke to her with attention. "Do you think...I wasn't meant to be born for a reason? Do you think...Marcus was wrong at saving my sister and I?" She sighed burrying her face on her knees. "I have thought that for sometime now. Wouldn't it be better if...I just hadn't been born?"

"Did you take some of that plant from the Head Nurse's botanical garden again?"

Celia's head snapped up in surprise that anyone would be awake at four in the morning. But who else would makes fun of her pitiful state other than the stubborn son of a bitch who makes snarky ass comments. And it was him, with his hair down for one and a pair of trousers on and a white shirt sadly buttoned with a warmer jacket on.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" she snapped going back to staring at the flame.

"I would if your sister hadn't woken me up in the middle of the night asking for you."

"Ugh." She slapped her face and let out a frustrating sigh, "Why can't she just fall asleep and leave me be."

"I heard from someone that with twins one can feel the distress of another," Kanda told her leaning against a crate. "You should learn to hide better though. If you're not in my room then you're probably at the last place anybody would look for you."

She snorted, "A chapel's the last place you would look for me?"

"You said you don't believe in God once. I guess you could say I found some truth in that," Kanda said.

"Mmh," Celia said putting her palm out into the fire and turning it blue again. With the tinkling beating twice as fast, Celia knew what Navi wanted but right now she really didn't feel like singing. Her concentration broke and the flame burst out into its color and was blown out. Celia sighed. What the hell...was wrong?

_"You've been upset lately have you not?"_ The voice of that nice woman kept ringing in her head. A voice so familiar yet very unknown to her. She'd heard her in her dreams singing a lullaby to her, to calm her down.

"Sing a song and let it sound," she spoke the words softly with no particular rhythm. Just to hear them. To hear them here and now and not in the faint memory of her broken past. "Let the gentle lull rebound." The tinkling again. Navi wanted for her to sing. But she couldn't. Her throat felt dry and hoarse.

"You can go back you know? Tell Alice I'm not going back to sleep. I'll be up the rest of the morning. Just...go," she said getting up and walking over to the monument with the cross. Leaning against it she slumped to a sit with her forehead on her knees and her arms hugging them.

Navi tinkled. She really wanted that song. To shut her up, she just vaguely mumbled the chorus rhythmically.

_As the sun now leaves the sky  
>As the bugs jump into sight<br>Let it now soundlessly fall  
>Let the rain bring the calm<em>

"You're awkward," he said walking over to her and throwing something in her face. She pushed it out off her face just before he sat down beside her.

"I thought I told you to leave..." she mumbled.

"I'm not going back to get yelled at by your pshyco sister." He sighed greatly looking the other way.

"Why this?" she asked holding the warm jacket up a bit.

"You're obviously freezing your ass off. Just take it. You're obnoxious about everything, you know that?" His complaints were quite obvious but what was also obvious was that he was trying to be nice. She snuggled her body against the warmness of the cotton jacket of his. Burrying her face in it, she noted the warmness and a faint fragrance. His. Why was he being so kind...? What had changed him to be that way? She wanted to know, wanted to ask but she feared it would only get him mad and in turn end up ignoring her question altogether. So she remained quiet and soaked herself in the warmth and aroma.

"What you were singing-" her head moved towards him although he was still averting his head. "Where did you hear it?"

"Where?" she leaned her cheek against her knees, the layer of jacket inbetween. She thought about it and about the dream. Was it a dream or, like all the others, a memory she couldn't remember? "I hear it in dreams but I don't know if they're real." Why lie to him? He never once judged her when she told him when they were little. She snorted it, "A pretty woman sings it to me. I vaguely see her face but I recognize her voice instantly. So warm and comforting." She snuggled deeper into the jacket for warmth. "I wonder...if I'm going insane. I don't know what's real or fake anymore."

"Real," Kanda spoke after a few seconds. "You're alive and with us. Real: you have a little obnoxious sister to compliment with you. Real: you have everybody here who cares about you."

Celia snorted. "What is it a game?"

"It's something you can understand," he answered.

"You say it like everything's real. But not everything is, tell me one of those." She sat up and snuggled in a way that she could face him.

"Fake: you're not going to die." She gasped at the unexpected answer. She was dumbfounded at it.

"That's a lie." She said it with a quivering voice but with a smile on her lips. This made him turn to look at her. She seemed so distant as she stared off ahead of her with her eyes glazed. "I'm going to. I have to. This thing is killing me slowly and sometime- who knows, three months from now, three days from now- I have to die."

"You won't."

"How you be so sure?" she snapped back at him angry. Her smile left her lips and her brows furrowed. "What makes you so damn knowledgable of the freaking subject?"

"You." Her eyes widened at the one syllable. "You're stubborn as a mule and don't let things push you around. You're not a quitter. You never go down without a fight. When you talk like that I sometimes doubt it though."

"When I talk like what...?" she asked confused.

"Defeated. You sound like you've given up hope." He picked up her wrist were the beaded bracelet still resided. "I said back then I'd protect you if, and only if, you could begin by protecting yourself. 'If you can't safe a life, you won't safe any'. Those were your stupid words. So try to safe yourself because if you don't many other people will have to pay. Like the rest of us, you're a destroyer and yet you safe people. And even though I've never understood how or why, I've come to accept it that way."

Her eyes were wide and they had begun to sting with salty tears. She took a glance at the beaded bracelet that matched the one he always wore. That promise was a child's play; a simple fluke, it would seem to anyone, but a great deal to her. He promised he would safe her from her trouble and is anybody wished to hurt her. The same promise she had made with Alice. He would safe her just like Celia would safe Alice.

He finally let go of her hand and sighed in frustration but he still remained sitted. She grabbed her wrist with the bracelet hugging it to her own bodice. She sniffed away the tears.

"Don't you dare cry."

She quickly wiped the tears away before they could fall down. "I'm sorry."

"And stop apologizing. Damn, you're so frustrating," he hissed massaging the bridge of his nose. When a sudden hit on his right shoulder made contact he flinched but only for a second before he looked at her with her head leaning against him. "What am I to you, a freaking pillow?"

She shook her head and hid it against her knees. "You're the gentlest person I'll ever meet."

He scoffed looking away, "Gentle my ass." She chuckled at his clear denial.

Navi tinkled as she snuggled in her hands and into warmness. She felt better somehow. It was as if a great burden had been lifted from her chest. Talking about it was what she needed most. She was afraid of many things but since she found out about the severity of the virus she became scared of one thing in particular. Death. Death and of leaving things unfinished here on Earth. But at least his brute words gave her self-confidence. Kanda was right, she was never the type to just sit down and take it. She was a fighter and as so she had to continue walking on forth.

For now that was her goal. To keep living. To keep going on... no matter what lies ahead. She would fight against it until she drew her last breath.

She drew in a long breath just then and let it out with a soft mumble.

_The moon hides below the sky  
>The sun blooms and gives it's shine<br>The calm leaves but in it's stead  
>We get love that wasn't there<em>

Kanda felt the full weight of her head against his shoulder when her quiet voice become silent. She had fallen asleep in mid-song. He leaned his head against the monument's wall and glanced at her. Curled up into a little ball against him her hands were the only thing that popped out and rested on her knees. He reached to them as slowly as he could to not awake her and placed his own over hers. He clasped her hands ever so gently so that the gesture itself wouldn't wake her.

He wondered how many nights had she lost her sleep over worry of not waking the next day. He pondered over how could she have enough energy to live everyday and keep that idiotic facade of being happy. All when in reality she couldn't even deal with the fact that she couldn't handle everything by herself.

He knew because that was what he did everyday but that was him. Of course he could deal with everything in his life by himself. But Celia, although grown, was still the same kid from seven years ago -lost, confused, and plainly overwhelmed. His grasped tightened making her toss a bit but quickly return to her sleep. What he felt wasn't pity or any need to protect her. It was something else... something that clutched at his chest and didn't let go. Something he hadn't felt since that time, nine years ago.

_I'll be waiting...forever_

He didn't want to hear her. Not tonight. Letting the overwhelming feeling of his own take ahold of him, he laid his head upon hers and, as quickly as she did, fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Cross bleakly held the letter in his hand while holding a glass of wine in the other. Allen had been gone for some good time and the only thing that remained was to read that letter.<p>

_"What is this?" Cross asked Komui breifly before everything began._

_"You're other pupil gave it to me. Said it was urgent for you to read it," Komui said raising his glasses._

_"My other, huh? It's going to be St. Valentines Day soon too. I wonder if she would like a present," he pondered out loud over trivial matters trying to avoid the subject at hand._

_"Read it, please. It was all she asked for."_

Deed that he had already done. That brat was one of the cheesiest ones ever. She had brief thanked him for taking care of her and then explained with detail what she was planning on doing next. Of course, he knew that she had at last found what she looked for, her past. But huges gaps still remained to be filled and some parts of her future were carved faintly in stone unless she took the iniciative and wrote over them.

He knew very well that the girl was yet to be ready for what the war and her own existence would bring. She had decided for now that she would pursue a cure to her fate though. As a first step in avoiding the seemingly inevitable outcome for her, it was as good of a start as any.

"You've yet to grow-" he said taking another sip of his glass. "And experience. Once that happens you'll be able to make a clearer decision of what it is you want to do with what you are and what is to come." He scoffed, "I guess my advice of keeping to yourself wasn't that good. You've turned into a fine lady nonetheless."

_Too bad I won't be able to get payback for those insults though._

He heard two knocks on his door. He glared but only more knocks came. Grabbing Judgement, he appraoched it and that was all before the worse occurred. All that remained the next morning after the fact were the broken mask, Judgement, and a bloodied piece of paper, unreadable.

That night was the last anyone saw of Cross Marian.

* * *

><p><strong>Well mission accomplished. It's gonna be one in the morning and I still need to eat dinner. I'm gonna be killed if I make any noise. 'w'<strong>

**Anyways hoped you liked this sweet moment and sorrowful outcome. Next time is the new headquarters.**

**Please review! **


	29. Retrace XXVII

**Woohoo! Good morning people! :D**

**Today I have thanks to a lot of people!  
>-DR34DNOISE, thanks for the review :3<strong>

**Now let's get to the start of the next arc in this story~**

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><p><strong>XXVII: The Abyssmal Penumbra<strong>

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><p>Janus stood in the middle of the grand room lit by mere candles all over the room. Ammit sat on a luxurious step stool while Prometheus leaned against an empty wall. No windows gave any light into the room. The grand canopy bed that stood in the northern wall was shrouded by a heavy navy veil. A female body sat up while on the bed.<p>

The silence that had descended upon the room was palpable with anxiety after Prometheus had arrived and spoke to _her_ of what had happened during the Black Order's attack by the Noah. Janus and Ammit were in for the punishment. All that was left was for _her_ to declare what it would be.

"Is there anything else that I have been blinded to?" the woman's weak voice spoke firmly over the veil.

"That is all," Prometheus said with a condescending smirk on his lips.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" she asked inquiring an answer from either of them.

"I am the one at fault, Madame," Janus spoke when he saw that Ammit was only grumping. "I coerce Ammit into attacking the Evernly twins. She did it under my orders."

"Are you saying that punishment should only befall yourself?"

"It is the truth therefore I bare all the blame." Janus glanced at Ammit who only glanced down silently thanking him for his sacrifice.

"What will be his punishment, Madame?" Prometheus inquired from her ready to bestow any punishment she would proclaim adequate.

"None." This startled all three. Nobody disobeyed Madame without a punishment waiting at hand.

"Excuse me?" Prometheus said confused.

"There are matters far more important to attend to." She motioned a hand and the shadow they saw of it only motioned to the large chest that laid on the east wall far on the corner away from Ammit. It rattled viciously and halted once she retracted it. "It seems what remained infected of her is reacting to the pounding of the offspring's rebound."

"Miss Evernly won't be a problem for much longer, Madame," Prometheus assured with a grin. "Her mutations are begining to happen. Once she cannot hold the Innocence it will swallow her whole and we will know of her no more."

"But she had Marcus studying the virus that resides in him and in those two," Janus intervened. "They may be able to find a cure."

"Not without you, my dear," Madame said calmly. "You are the only survivor that has fully infused correctly with the virus. Without your blood and the other infectees, all their efforts will be in vain."

"Will you wait until the eldest of the two dies to ingest her?" Prometheus asked.

"Unfortunately, I need that child alive unlike the younger one. I got a piece of Cecilia once she died. I got the eyes that Marcus surgically extracted from his wrists. All I need are the Evernly twins, and Everlott."

"Kingsley Everlott has been missing for years," Ammit said finally wording her thoughts. "How will we find him?"

"There are methods and there are ways," Madame said with a low snicker.

"How do you plan to eat her alive?" Janus asked her getting a glare from Prometheus. He hated how Janus spoke so impolitely to her. She was the savior of them all. How dare he? Then again, he was hers.

"We need to push her against a wall," Madame said her voice deep in thought. "Make her see that if she does not cooperate with us all the ones she cherishes will pay the price of her impudence. She is a fighter but nonetheless she is still human, she will comply."

"So in other words...?" Prometheus asked waiting for the order to be given. Ammit looked up at her while Janus only stared at his feet.

"Break her."

* * *

><p>The Order has finally moved to the new location. A small island which was secluded from a nearby town by a vast forest. The new place was quite grand without as many stairs as the old one. The twins, at Celia's secret request, recieved seperate rooms. And before long everything seemed like before.<p>

Celia noticed that something had been wrong with Allen since they arrived a day after he did. He seemed secluded from people. Somewhat oblivious to other people around him. She actually tried, a day or two after seeing him like that, to speak to him. And although she only got a few words it always ended with him giving her a small smile. Sad and distant and with the purpose to disarm her question. He wanted time to be alone, time to think.

In turn, she gave him what he asked for. Time to think about whatever he was thinking about. Alice had become more secluded as well. More independant. She began helping Jerry in the kitchen and bringing Celia samples of her new baked goods. Somehow it was good for her to become indenpendent of Celia.

Everything was good and just like that ten days passed by. Alice was interned as an Exorcist and is only assigned with minor or co-op missions with Lenalee. Meanwhile Celia has been in charged, as per Dr. Marcus' request, of ridding the places of her missions of any Lost Ones, which she liked to call mutts rather than their real name. The three Evernly familiars decided that if they followed the direction of the mutts then perhpas they would find Janus. So far it was turning out to be a fluke yet there was no space for giving up. Not now and not after deciding that she would fight for her life.

And yet...

"This is getting troublesome."

Celia watched through her red tinted goggles full across her eyes. Seeing the blue spots amongst the normal orange/yellow/red colors she lowered them to her neck and bit her lower lip.

_"You better be doing something useful if you left us just when the enemy arrived!" _Kanda's voice came over through Navi.

"Shut it, Yu. I'm trying to concentrate." She finally spotted the fleshy retrainted mutts. They were approaching her way in that creepy walk if one could call it so. "I don't think you guys have as much trouble as I'm gonna have right now."

_"Just be careful, Celia,"_ Allen called through his communicator in concern.

"Don't worry, Al. I'll be fine." She jumped out of her hiding spot and bared herself before them. She stood with Xiao in one hand twirling it. "Looking for someone?"

At hearing her voice, the mutts turned and began to charge at her. One by one they began attacking her and just like that she avoided each one while attacking them through the back. All of them through direct contract hardened and turned into dust. None of them where the silver ones so they weren't born from human beings. That was good.

"Whew," she wiped her brow after having the last one turn to dust. The whole ground was covered by the grey dust that was now being blown away by the gust of wind that came. Weird. Either she was getting stronger or they were getting weaker because that fight with thirty or forty of them took like ten minutes. Ten minutes at least.

She began skipping roofs and buildings reaching the cementary. The blood bath and Akuma parts before her seemed an identifier of a good and won fight for them. They were all atently watching Link as he played chess against the bodiless hand.

"How's it going?" She stood before the team with her hands on her hips. Like all the other Exorcists, she had gotten her new uniform. A tight black v neck shirt which barely showed the diamond scar on her chest with no sleeves covered the top while a pair of white shorts covered the bottom. The Exorcist jacket was now black trimmed with red and it was unbuttoned on hers showing the inside of her shirt. The sleeves were of the jacket were rolled up neatly past her elbows. The golden aiguillette was the only thing chaining both sides of the jacket together and keeping her chest from being exposed and the silver Rose Cross on her left breast. The jacket's seams hid the pouches that she had on her belt; the smaller one was a pair of serum viles and the gun while in the other were medical equipment. A pair of skin boots came to her knees which were warm and comfortable on the inside and quite stylish on the outside with the same black and red trimming. All was covered by a black coat with the same emblem stitched on her left breast pocket which had a hood that now covered her short locks of brunette hair.

"Ah, Celia." She glanced at Allen's face that was smeared with drops of blood. She shook her head slightly taking out a hankerchief and wiping away the blood. The gesture made him blink and quietly blush as he struggled to make her stop.

"Shut it, Walker. You shouldn't walk around with blood on your face," Celia said putting it away. She looked at Link still concentrated on beating the hand. "How's it going?"

"It's getting somewhere," Allen said rubbing his cheek just in case any was left.

"The rest of us couldn't beat him so Mr. Howard's the last chance we got," Miranda said staring at the game in question.

"I told you guys I'm not good with games like that. At least I tried though," Celia said with a shrugged. She glanced at Kanda, "What's with the long face, Yu?"

"Don't call me that," he retorted back. Celia scoffed but focused on the game. Finally, Link called in a checkmate. Kanda reported back to HQ and they were told to meet at Gate 28. Twenty minutes later they were already there at the nearby church.

"Link, you're such a killjoy," Celia pouted climbing off the carriage that took them there.

"You're job isn't to go shopping, Celia Valentine," Link reppraoched.

"But I haven't had time to come shopping here. Alice has been wanting some dolls from Hilary's Boutique," Celia recalled getting closer to the church's entrance.

"You could come later, Celia. We'd miss the Gate if we went shopping now. Besides, it's the middle of the night. Shop's aren't open right now," Allen said trying to get through to her.

"Mmh." She stepped on the first step of the stairs. "I guess you're right."

From the church came out a priest who called himself Father Federico. Miranda mistook his outstretched hand for a handshake. Celia chuckled at her obliviousness for one. Kanda only scowled greatly irritated.

Unconsciously, she turned to him, "What's been up with you? Ever since we came to be on the new place you've been all grumpy."

"It's none of your business." She frowned and looked away in a snap. The hell with him. If he didn't want to talk she wasn't going to force him. After they're little fight for the tenth time that day, Kanda stormed off inside. Quickly writing her code, Celia ran in after him while Allen took his time with his.

"You should try to calm yourself," Celia said before the others came in. "I know the news of Allen are a bit ilogical but we've got to deal with it."

"As if I'd be bothered by his nonsense," Kanda barked at her.

She frowned again. What happened to that freaking nice guy from a week ago? "Can't you at least act it until we get back home. You can go meditate there and get your frustrations out."

"I don't take orders from you," he said walking off. The rest of the group entered and the room went awkwardly silent.

"Navi," Celia called to her golem that appeared from behind her hood. She sat on top of her head snuggling on her. This kind of silence she hated but most of all because of the heavy tension between the two of them. They were always on bad ends but today had been specially bad. When she heard a crunching and turned to see Allen eating candy she scoffed at his simplicity.

She walked over to the grumpy Kanda and slapped her palms against his cheeks making a loud noise. Miranda glanced over a little nervous at her actions.

"What. In. The. Hell," he spat out every word with venom.

"You're frowning more than usual. I swear, Kanda, if you keep that up it'll freeze that way." She took her hands away and clung to his crossed arms making him a human monkey bar to hold her up.

"Get off," he growled.

"Don't wanna," she cooed letting her weight dangle from his arms. Before he could even retort the time came and the Gate opened. Jumping off, she turned to him and smiled a small smile before going through along with Allen and Miranda.

Skipping her way in she found two familiar faces waiting for them. "Jiji and Johnny." Jiji turned to Celia, "Ah, I remember you. Little Valentine who had trouble with her new weapon huh. Did the remastered version helped?"

"It did. I can control it better," she said taking it out to show it to him. "Can you thank Zhu-san for it in my stead, Jiji?"

"Sure thing, kiddo. Hey, Kanda, long time no see. How's your new Mugen?" he asked changing topics rather fast. "Zhu-the swordsmith- was wondering."

"Bye guys!" Celia called leaving after Kanda had.

"Gonna follow him again?" Allen called with a mitarashi dango in his mouth.

"What I am? His shadow?" she waved it away. "I'm gonna see how Alice is doing. See you later!"

Two arrows flinged in the air together and hit bull-eye's one after the other. Alice released the breath she had held in anticipation. She been practicing every second she had every since she was deemed as an Exorcist of the Order. Every free second she got without Celia being there was taken by training.

She raised it again ready to shoot when a voice interrupted her. "Alice!" She turned to see Celia at the entrance back from her latest mission. The platinum-haired girl smiled broadly as she came over halting her training for good.

"You're back."

"Safe and sound," she said pulling a bag from beside her.

* * *

><p>A couple of weeks have gone by since it all began anew. Alice was kept away to her missions and kept away from Celia's sight during their duration.<p>

During that morning announcement on the day they moved, Lvellie had the guts to tell the Exorcists that if they saw either of them out of control that they were to take no chances and were obligated by duty to kill them. Celia assured that it would not happen. Alice, however, seemed doubtful about that outcome. It's been nine years since they got seperated and now it's been no more than some months that they reunited as a family. But it seemed that to Celia time wasn't an issue to ponder about.

"I'm sorry," Alice apologized one morning that she had called Celia from her room in the bright of that day. A couple of her stuffed dolls had appeared stabbed and cut with the stuffing coming out. Celia having a handy hand for medical matters, had the sufficiently steady hands to do something that resembled stitching a wound up.

"Don't be," Celia said getting anothing string and putting it through the needle's hole. Tying the ends, she kept on sewing the white puppy and finishing it completely although she had trouble putting black the left eye that was brutally gouched out. She went over to the next one. A black kitten with a red bow tied to its neck with a bell. It's arm and ears had been cut off. Both surprisingly had the largest gap on their chest. She began sewing the extremities back while talking, "But who would cut these? I know the rooms have no locks but are you sure you haven't gotten anybody pissed?"

Alice shook her head vigorously. "I swear it. And it wasn't me either."

"Mmh," she nipped the string off when she finished with the left ear. She continued with the chest cut. "Well, somebody's wrecking your dolls. And their the ones I got for you too. Damn, people can be so rude."

Two knocks came from the open door they had left. Alice raised her head and scowled. Celia tilted her head back to see and turned fully around to see him.

"Hey, what's up?" she called to Kanda who stood against the door.

"Have a minute?"

Without any ado, she got up. "Take this," she said passing the kitten to Alice who was still sitting on her room's floor. "What's up?"

"Komui said to tell you about our next mission," he said giving her a folder with information.

"Italy, huh? When do we leave?" she asked reading through it.

"Right away," he said.

"But," Alice interrupted overhearing the conversation. "You promised you would train me. And my dolls." Her hand fell to her side awfully close to where the pointy sewing scissors were.

"Sorry, Ali," Celia apologized deeply with her hands together. "It'll have to be another time. Right, now I have to get ready." Alice's hands tightened on the scissors' hilt. She smacked Kanda's chest with the folder, "See you in a few minutes." She left running towards her room to get changed and ready.

Alice couldn't belive it. Her red eyes flickered in color to an emerald green. Her grip tightened on the scissors as she picked them up. Kanda was about to leave when he heard a soft whisper filled with disdain, "Damn you." He saw just as she stabbed the point through the kitten's head and drew it down making a bigger gap to the stuff doll. It was now insurmountable to repair. Kanda feigned having seen her and left the room.

"Damn you, you black cat," she mumbled with venom in her words directed at something else aside from the destroyed doll in her hands.

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><p><strong>Haha, i threw a little symbolism with those dolls there. You guys wanna guess what they are? <strong>

**Well, this was a good one. I liked it.**

**Sorry bout the minor change :)**

**A\N: changed it again, this time it was a crucial change. luckily it was only on the last portion of the story. I had a jumble of times in my head. So this is the corrected one. I'm putting notice on the next chapter in case some of the ones who already read it missed this. :) thanks for understanding.**

**Please, review!**


	30. Retrace XXVIII

**I've been so lonely since I barely get any reviews lately. :( **

**But! That has never discouraged me and it won't now. I'm 3/4's done with this story. Since DGM isn't a complete manga yet I'm gonna wait for it. Meanwhile I'm actually planning to end this one. **

**Since people still read I'll gladly keep writing. Thanks to you all who keep up with me~ :D**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXVIII: In Harm's Way<strong>

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><p>"Can't this wait? I barely got back. I didn't even sleep an hour," Celia yawned while rubbing her eyes all the while being dragged by Alice to Komui's office.<p>

"Can't. Komui said that it was important for us to leave immediately after getting the briefing," Alice said feeling the heaviness of her sleepy body as she dragged her.

"Why does he want us together, though?" Celia asked groggily making Alice stop just before the office's doors.

She tilted her head Celia's way but looked forth instead, "I don't know." She pushed the doors open and inside was Komui waiting for them. What they didn't understand was why Kanda was in the office reading the file that was to be their mission. "Why's he here?"

"Because Kanda-kun is going to be with you in this mission," Komui informed her.

"But didn't I just have a mission with pretty boy?" Celia said sitting on the sofa, her head noozing away at times.

"You're not the one who'll partner with him this time Celia-chan."

It immediately clicked with both Kanda and Alice. **"What!"** The loud yelling got Celia wide awake and looking around at both for the racket.

"I refuse," Kanda spoke up first in his foul demeaner.

"I second that. I will not go on a mission with him," Alice said.

"There's no other choice." Komui searched through papers, "So far, all the others are currently out in missions. You three are the only one's free as of now. Besides," he handed two seperate papers with the same information to either twin. Their eyes widened. Alice's expression became an instant scowl while Celia's a grand smirk.

"Who would've thought. I really believed Janus to be smarter than that," Celia said putting the paper aside.

"Killing over half a town. He must be creating Lost Ones," Alice said doing the same.

"The Finders that were sent there reported sights of the mutated Akuma and the silver beings. Either kind of mutt has been attacking the town and nearby villages. Most of the Finders were infected and only a couple remain that have connected back to HQ," Komui explained. "The only ones truly associated and that are immune to them are you two."

"You should've told me this the moment you found out," Celia said standing up. "I could've departed ealier."

"I wanted you to rest," he said and looked at Alice. "And for you to be ready."

"I have and she is. So how about you tell us what you're planning," Celia said with a grin.

"Alice-chan and Kanda-kun will be sent to town for a basic rescue mission of any survivors. Celia-chan, the concentration of mutts was biggest in the outskirts of the town," Komui said.

"So they go rescue while I take out the trash," Celia concluded. "Sounds fair."

"I'm still not going," Kanda scowled.

"Don't need you," Alice agreed.

"Oh no," Celia said smacking both upside the head. "You are going," she called pointing at Kanda. "You are staying by his side. He can protect you if anything happens."

"I can protect myself," Alice said rubbing her sore spot.

"I know you can," Celia said frowning. "I just want to make sure," sudden smile took over and Alice pouted knowing she'd lost. "Besides, I trust Kanda enough."

"Enough?" Alice repeated a little unsure of the word.

"With your safety. Anything else, I wouldn't be as sure," Celia said walking away from Alice's yells.

"You're unbelievable!" Alice yelled after she was far off.

"Anyway," Celia said with a smile. "We should get going. The faster we do, the quicker I can come sleep."

* * *

><p>"Damn you, Komui," Celia cursed under her breath seeing the puff of white air in the air. Even with the black coat over her warm uniform it was still considerably cold for her. She was standing at the outskirts of town watching through her goggles.<p>

_"Any news?" _Alice called from her golem.

"Nah," Celia said sitting on a torn bench. "So far nothing."

_"Did you use those things of yours?" _Kanda said referring to her goggles.

"I am and they're not things. They're specially made specs. Since mutts have unusally low body temperature. Reever made me these infrared goggles to keep watch of them better," Celia said placing them out of her face. "Do you think Komui was wrong?"

_"Can't be..."_

"...After all, I feel queasy here." Alice walked the streets of what was the ghost town with Kanda although both were some length apart from each other. "Don't you?"

_"I thought that was only my stomach but now that you mention it..."_ Alice snorted at her sister's comment.

"The best we can do now is wait. I can't purify a large amount but I can deal with small groups. You can and Kanda-san can deal with larger ones because of your style of fighting," Alice explained. "Just make sure to take them down before they began to mutate more or worse join in strategy."

_"Roger that,"_ Celia called. _"Over."_

"We're not playing around, you damn brat. Concentrate," Kanda scowled at her.

_"Roger that too, Bakanda. Over." _A snicker was heard after that and Alice snorted again. He couldn't believe them. They kept walking through the ghost town with no sign of life.

"I doubt anybody's left alive anymore," Alice commented hating to talk to him but hating the silence just as much.

"Brilliant deduction," he spat sarcastically. A sudden rustle made them turn to a torn down building. A grand housing edifice at that. Then they heard it, a baby's crying voice. Both looked up but Alice was the first to step forth. "Are you an idiot?"

"Are you a heartless bastard?" Alice called back to him already on the steps. "There might be people alive."

"Or it may be a decoy," Kanda offered already pissed off enough for being partnered up with the brat's baby sister. "That Janus guy can transform into anything he wants."

"Anything his size or bigger," Alice corrected him. "Not something as small as a baby." She began to go up the stairs of the complex building. The cryings began to be more audible once they arrived at the fifth floor. Breaking through doors, Alice was the one to find them. An older boy with a baby girl in his arms crying. Beisde them ready to protect them were two Finders.

"Exorcists," one of them called relieved that they had been found by reinforcements.

"We're here," Alice reassured them but going directly to the baby and young boy. She began to attempt and pacify the baby into silence and after a couple of minutes managed her after giving her some food she had for Celia.

"Thank you, one-san," the boy called weakly. "Serah was hungry but I ran out of crackers this morning."

"Don't worry. What's your name?"

"My name's Vince," he called.

"Vince, huh. My name's Alice. Listen okay? We're here to take you somewhere safe. Do you know of any other people who've managed to survive?"

"There's some people here and...the old man from the blacksmith's," he said in a whisper. "Last I heard he locked himself up in his cellar. His house was ruined to the ground but I never saw any monster come out like with all the others."

Alice turned to Kanda, "He could still be alive."

"Are your Talisman's still functional?" Kanda spat out at the Finders who seemed startled by him speaking to them.

"Y-Yes, they are," one answered.

Alice stood up and referred to the Finders, "Please bring them down to the first floor and protect them as well as you have while we look for this blacksmith. If you can look for any other survivors in this building."

"Yes, ma'am," they soluted and hoarded the two young ones down first.

"You command people well. You have the same aura as her," Kanda hissed.

"I'm simply nice. You should try it sometime," Alice retorted looking out the window of the fifth floor. Finding what she was looking for she pointed forth, "There. I see the blacksmith's shop."

"We should hurry. Celia's been quiet for too long," he called smashing the window seeing it wouldn't budge at Alice's poor attempts.

"Nice," Alice whispered.

"C'mon. The place's already a dump. We've got to complete this mission as ordered so we can get the hell back," Kanda called jumping to the neighboring building's roof. Alice followed suit as they jogged their way to the blacksmith's which was pretty far from the complex and cornered at the town. Once there they saw that what Vince had said was true. The place was in shambles and nobody could've been hiding in the inside but underground perhaps. They began looking around the crashed floor for entries.

* * *

><p>Celia sat down on the tree branch in the outskirts of the town. She yawned and stretched out. This would turn out to be quiet an easy job for one. A beeping took her attention from her tiredness. It was her goggles, detecting abnormally low bundles of temperature. Placing them on her eyes she saw three skinny ones with their arms retraint behind them.<p>

"About time," she heaved a sigh in boredom. But the three figures weren't the only ones. The regular orange and red and yellow earth and trees began to be swallowed by the appearence of countless of bundles of cold mutts. She raised them to her head and strained her sight beyond the trees. She could see the fleshy bodies of the many that were appraoching. All armless sacks of mutated flesh from Akuma.

"Um, Alice?"

Alice heard her sister's dry voice calling over to her. "What is it?" Kanda found a handle on the floor away from the debris and picked it up with force bringing it open. Alice turned to see him going in and followed in a trot.

"Um," Celia cleared her throat once. "Question: how many Lost Souls can one infectee create?"

"Depends."

"On the basics," Celia said with a urge in her voice.

"Well about thrity to fifty without having the infectee suffer from exsanguination," Alice explained as they walked the extent of the cellar. Going down they realized that the cellar was pretty small but lengthy. "Why?"

Celia stepped back and climbed the top of the entrance of the town. Her eyes widened but she tried to sound calm, "Yeah. Um, you guys are gonna have to hurry here."

"What's happening there, Valentine?" Kanda snapped.

"Well, I lost count after one hundred seventy-something but I'm _pretty_ damn sure that there's more than fifty," Celia said a little nervous.

"We will. As soon as we finish here we'll join you," Alice assured.

"Hurry, yeah? I have a very strange feeling about all this," Celia called cutting off her connection and beginning the destruction. Shredding some out only left the hundred more that still remained. Up ahead from the hoard she could vaguely see it, the figure of a girl. "Should've known you'd come to torment me. Ammit."

* * *

><p>Finally walking it's distance they found the body of an old man cornered. Alice went first over to the old man but when she nodged his shoulders he fell to the side and broke down into pieces. She gasped, "A manequine. But why...?"<p>

Kanda clicked his tongue in realization as he ran out of the place. Alice noticing his haste followed suit as close as she could.

"What's the matter?" she yelled after him.

"It's a setup!" he called once they were on the surface. He stopped short seeing who was before them while Alice stopped only to gasp and glare.

"Well hello, Alice," Prometheus spoke as he and Janus appraoched the duo of Exorcists. "Oh and you must be Kanda Yu, correct?"

"Janus, you've killed more than enough people. How many more do you intend to sacrifice?" Alice snapped at Janus who never once looked at either of them. Only a sullen expression on his face that he masked with nonchalance.

"As many as necessary," Janus called finally looking at her in the eyes. "Just as long as I get what I'm looking for. You and Celia dead."

"I should've known this was a trap," Kanda mumbled in remorse of coming to this mission and at once unsheathing Mugen.

"I can't believe you Janus," Alice called getting her bow from its strap and keeping it down. "What happened to you? You used to actually care about us. You wouldn't have let us get hurt."

"Yeah, well, that was before I knew what was to happen to us," he said and hunched over and transformed into the sabertooth from that time in Edo. It roared out and charged towards to Kanda who stopped it's jagging teeth with Mugen. Pushing it back, the two began their battle.

Alice turned their way briefly before hearing the searing noise of the boomerang being thrown. Dodging it, Alice turned to Prometheus who caught it just in time to make it disappear. He smirked and raised his hands to shake them and let his eyes see around. Both slits on his palms opened to show the eyes that looked at Alice.

"You know, we were sent here to deal with the older Evernly but seeing as you are her trigger point I might as well have my fun with you," Prometheus smirked.

"You're not getting to her through me ever again," Alice grunted letting go of the string and setting free a rain of arrows his way. Waving his hand he made something appear from the ground. Dog-shaped mutts appeared and split opened from their heads up and down instead of right to left and opened like a mouth would letting out a lashing tongue. The mutts jumped at the arrows and once they caught them in their tongues snapped them in half rendering them useless.

Alice gritted her teeth but took a step back. She pulled on the string but before she could even aim, the mutts had charged at her full on. Letting go of the string various arrows shot showering the floor at random while she avoided the ferocious bites of the dogs.

"Running does no good," Prometheus called to her as he skidded past the mutts and caught Alice off guard and unprotected. He whirled to kick her fast and hard on her abdomen and sent her flying against a building.

Kanda seeing this fought off Janus from his blade and began heading to Alice but was stopped by Janus. "You're going nowhere, pretty boy."

Alice got off from the debris to see Prometheus appraoching her tauntingly. "I got a quiz for you Miss Everlott-Evernly. Question No.1: How can two souls travel through and into two seperate bodies that were once connected?"

Alice bit her bottom lip. He was talking about the exchange ability that her and Celia possesed. She ignored at and aim for his heart but when a couple of mutts came in the way, she shot them instead. She shot again once they were gone but when the arrows got to him he simply slapped them away breaking them. What was happening to her Innocence? Why was it so weak?

"Question No.2: If a soul can live on another body, can it also live outside without one?" He motioned his hand towards her and before she could escape a couple of tongues had gotten a hold of her ankles making her unable. Another slapped away the bow from her hands and two others caught by wrists. More came by and latched around her body and lifted her to a cross position.

"Question No.3..." He smirked raising his hand were a dagger was.

Celia's mind suddenly went blank and her body halted all function. Something pained her but she hadn't been injured so far. It wasn't her scar but she clutched at her chest. It was her heart. What was...this heartache?

Alice's sudden scream shot right through the noise of the fight between Kanda and Janus. Janus took his chance to take Kanda off guard. Prometheus snapped the blade away ridding it of any blood it had gotten from stabbing Alice in her abdomen. "How much pain do I have to induce before your soul has no choice but to deliberately leave your body?"

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><p><strong>I'm so sad that I don't hear my friends' thoughts anymore on this story. But I have faith. I will hear from them again! :D<strong>

**So how was it? What do you guys think's gonna happen to Alice? **

**Please review! **


	31. Retrace XXIX

**Yay~ :D People loves me and I loves people XD Specially my reviewers and readers! This is a chapter I have been dying to write because it's a great turning point of this whole story! XD XD XD  
>Just in a while you'll see why! :)<strong>

**Since this is a special chapter I'll be going over my normal count. Usually i write about 3 grand or more. I'll tell you how much I ended up writing in the end. :3**

**Now thanks (finally after awhile) go out to these amazing people:  
>-Moonlite 800 for the story fav~ :)<br>-Taeniaea for the review and story alert and sorry for not updating on WD:RD. Im having a lil of writer's block :'(  
>-Lathya for the story alert and review! :D<br>-DR34DNOISE of course for the review~  
>-Jeanny Foster, thnxs for the review!<br>-and sky of c-o-l-o-r-s for the first review of the last chapter~!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXIX: Hellfire On Earth<strong>

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><p><strong>Two weeks prior to their mission...<strong>

Alice stood in the semi dark room standing before Marcus and Lily who stood beside the man holding the papers. Research that had been done to her known to only the science division but kept away from the Exorcists. Alice wrapped her arms around her lower body.

"I thought the ritual had stopped when she denied him blood of kin," Alice spoke after minutes of silence

"Unfortunately, the moment her Innocence began drawing blood was when it drew the blood sacrifice necessary for it to be done," Marcus explained to her inbetween coughs.

"According to the sect who created the ritual, the last step requires the 'seperation' to become the 'rebirth' through the 'one hope'," Lily read from one of the papers in her hands.

"Are you willing to take the risk of going out in your state? Both of you have Janus on your tails," Marcus added.

"I could care less what Janus and the rest have intended to do to us. I could care less if what comes is a spawn from hell or the only thing that could bring us, infected, salvation. All I care about is that I can at least help her this once. If I can safe her this once instead of the other way around then I'll be happy," Alice said with a small smile.

"You are brave, child," Marcus bowed his head with respect.

"I'm not, Alexander," Alice grinned wryly. "I'm anything but brave. I would rather die than have them use me. The ritual was something that the Evernly family wanted to do since they came to know the sect of Our Holy Mother in hopes of finding a way to give _it_ a true form in this world. All for the holy war and the Black Order's sake. And if worse comes to be then it will happen and I won't be here to see it. Hopefully, Celia will see it as a hope for your guys' future instead of what took me away from her."

"That child is not vengeful. From what I have seen she is everything but," Marcus said with a smile. "I trust that when that time comes she will make the right decision with this 'God'."

Alice nodded, "I believe so too for I trust her wholeheartedly. And that will remain so, no matter what happens."

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><p>Alice could feel the hot blood trickling down her face and down her neck. How many times had Prometheus stabbed and slashed her already? Ten? Twenty? Thirty times? She'd lost count. Her extremities felt numb along with her whole body. How much blood had she lost already? How much time had passed...?<p>

She could hear the clashing of heavy steel with ivory. Her blurred vision came to Kanda fighting still against the sabertooth that Janus had morphed into. Kanda should've already been done with Janus. It must have not been that long if not Kanda would have finished him.

"I'm surprised you've lasted this long alive and with so much blood loss," Prometheus said with a smirk as he played with the dagger in his hand. "It always amazes me how the Evernly Family managed to use their own descendents as guinea pigs. All for the Order's sake. All to win the holy war." He plunged the dagger again into her body making her wince but after all that blood loss it was but a pinch. "I heard Allen Walker survived after Tyki Mikk murdered him. Bummer, huh? The ritual got all screwed because Choas wasn't sacrifice completely. You've got all the slots filled except for his. Now that 'God', as the idiotic sect of Our Holy Mother called it, can't be born."

"It..." Alice mumbled coughing out blood with the one syllable. "Will...be."

"It will be?" Prometheus repeated her words. He chuckled out of mockery for her words, "Poor, sad and deluded Alice. Don't you see? The hoped of a cure lies with the mixture of the blood of your kin, not in the fake god that the sect wanted to create. Even if it comes, it will be nothing but a monster created out of human sacrifice." He slashed away at her abdomen letting the skin hang but quickly recover from the wound with a pinkish scar that bled. "Sacrifices that were made by your sister's hands."

_It has to. For her. If it can safe her then I'll let it be born. Atrum...you wanted the same thing as Albus, to be liberated from the infection. That was why, even if subconsciously when under the control of the virus, you sought the cure to it. And you found it. Please...help me free myself from his hands. _

_I will do the rest._

The sabertooth caught something in the corner of his eyes. Arching it's back, it became a shadow until Janus' human form came to be holding an ivory made saber. He turned to Prometheus, "Watch out!"

Prometheus cocked his head just in time to hear the movements that appraoched and finding a way to avoid a fatal injury but losing one of his arms in th process. He smirked looking up to see his dogs on the floor writhing in pain from being cut in half. Alice sprawled on the floor finding the strength to get up inspite of her wounds. Standing next to her was the man in black attire with the red eyes holding a set of claws against his knuckles on his right hand.

"Atrum, huh?" Prometheus said with a smirk feeling the virus doing it's work as new tendrils of flesh came from his wound and formed a new arm that was fair and soft like baby's skin. "Innocence protecting it's user, unheard of actually but not uncommon. After all, both of you share a body and soul."

Atrum faced her using his unspoken tacits to communicate. Alice smiled holding her side which was the most damaged. "Thank you. I will take care of what is left to do." Atrum nodded slowly and reached out his right hand where his claws were. The claws liquified and mixed together in his palm to form a firm silver dagger. Alice took it without hesitation into her free hand. Bowing Atrum took a step back to disappear in her shadow.

"What..." Prometheus called with a mocking smirk on his face. "So he came to save you only to let you die? How stupid can your own Innocence be?"

"He's didn't come to save me," she held the dagger firmly in her hand. "He came to free me from the confinements to let me finish this."

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><p>"Run all you want but you'll never get anywhere!" Ammit's voice echoed through the woods as Celia ran only to be stopped seconds after by hoards of mutts.<p>

"Get out of my way!" Celia bellowed at the mutts who kept coming at her even when she had turned about more than ten minutes ago heading for the town. They were all in the way. That peircing pain on her heart had been something terrible and it still hadn't fade away. Quite opposite, it began to intensify every time she took a breath. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

She felt the latching of her ankle to one of the tongues from the dogs that had appeared. "Damn thing!" she cussed sending a wave of energy with Xiao towards the mutts behind her. Obliterating them from her path behind she focused on the ones before her. There were still too many for her to deal with. There was no way for her to escape the fight either, all sides were swarming with mutts. She had no time to waste.

"Xiao, level two." The eye lid snapped opened and looked around for her. She would risk becoming that monster again. She would do all it took to get to where Alice was. Whatever that 'something' was, Celia was sure that it had to do with her. The eye found her wielder and closed letting the tentacles reach her arm and latch onto her. She winced a bit at the forcefulness. It hadn't eaten any of her blood since the attack on headquarters. It was hungry for her blood. So far so good, Xiao had taken the simply form of its level two instead of mutating Celia's body. She stroke the blade wide from side to side sending tendrils of the magenta fire out to kill. As the fire killed all in its path, Celia began to notice how tired she had become. Was it from the fighting and running? Or was it because the Innocence was taking her vital strength away from her to fight?

She didn't care. She took a deep breath and, after Xiao's flames wiped the mutts from her path, sprinted off towards the town. They had to be there. And be there alive.

Arriving at the entrance she couldn't belive her eyes. There had to be more than two hundred of them blocking her path towards the town.

Ammit sat on the stone arch from the entrance with a smirk on her face. "Tick~tock~! How much longer you think you'll last?" What was their damn goal? To keep her there? Her grip on Xiao tightened, of course. If there were this many then Ammit couldn't be the only one of then here. Janus and Prometheus had to be present as well.

"Much longer than you'd expect," she whispered to herself as she stood ready to fight again. Her left arm pained her because of the many teeth biting down on her skin to draw blood. It be stronger but it weakened her body. The mutts charged at her and one after the other they fell.

Ammit watched with intense comtemplation at the girl who fought against the countless enemies they had prepared for her. Nevertheless she proved, once again, to be a formidable fighter. She had dealt with the first swarm faster than they had expected. Those two had to make haste or the plan would be a complete waste of time for Madame.

Celia was dealing with the last of them and was left panting and completely and utterly exhausted. Ammit clicked her tongue in disdain. She was formidable alright but in that state she would be a piece of cake. She jumped from her place and stood a few feet away from Celia who looked up with sweat dripping from her brow along with blood from the cuts on it.

She clapped mutely a couple of times before stopping and smirking. She now stood before her and drew the short blade sword from her elbow, the sword itself made from the bone of her body. "I believe it's time to finish this."

Celia grinned despite her injuries, "Finish, you say?" Clearly struggling, Celia stood again in stance. "Why, it has just begun."

"I'm about to wipe that cocky smirk off your face for good!" Ammit bellowed in anger raising her blade high ready to land a strike. Slowed down by exhaustion Celia wasn't fast enough to block the attack but before she could even blink droplets of blood had fallen in a straight line between her and Ammit, some actually landing on Ammit herself. When the blood combusted into flames, Ammit was forced to draw back from her place as she struggled to put the flames out from her body.

Celia looked up to see the origin of that blood line only to see a tall figure cloaked in black and hooded as well standing in front of her giving her his back.

"Stand up," he said in a calm yet commanding voice. The force of the voice itself made her stand up tall back in stance ready to fight. His head was tilted slightly her way and she managed to see a grin on his face. He turned to Ammit who had already turned out the flames from her body.

A cruel smirk splattered on her face said she was confident. The fear on her eyes told another story. "Well, if it isn't the famous king of the family tree. What pleasure do we have for your presence after nine years?"

"Retreat now, Clara." Ammit's eyes narrowed to a glare at that name making Celia wondered about it. "You do not belong under her control. You are better than that."

"No," she answered clearly. "I belong to Madame. She gave me the hope of living in this world that wouldn't accept me after being infused with the virus that had found its way to me. I will not betray her."

"Will you betray yourself then?" the man asked. Ammit scowled and charged at him. The man only unveiled his right arm that was covered in reddish skin badly bandanged. Swinging it again he sent a straight line of blood Ammit's way as it instantly combusted into flames. Ammit found a way to avoid them but was sent back by a kick into a couple of trees causing filth to fill the air along with debris. The man turned to face Celia his own shrouded under the hood of the cloak. "You must go."

"W-Who are you?" she asked completely overtaken by her anxiety and fatigue.

"Doesn't matter. I came here to delay Ammit. You must make haste to your sister," he said with a sense of urgency on his voice.

"To Alice?" Celia mumbled.

"It's happening. Even without Chaos' complete sacrifice, it's beginning," he spoke letting the cloak from his right side be moved behind his back. Rising his bandaged right arm, he fisted his bloody red hand. From his elbow an wrist the bones extended in it's bloody gore creating a blade of clean ossein manipulated by his arm. "You must go. Now. Before it is too late."

Celia didn't need to be told twice. Although tired, she passed by the mount of broken trees that was Ammit and ran towards the entrance of the city. "Navi!" she called as the golem hurriedly came out. "Look for them from the sky. Show me the way!" Navi quickly shot up into the air just as Celia stopped to breath. The earth beneath her began to shake and quickly gave way as mutts dug their way out of their hidding spots. "Shit." She moved foward and turned their way just as they began attacking. Navi finally spotting them flew down and tinkled as loud as she could to catch Celia's attention. Glancing at Navi, the golem shot down the streets with speed. Celia pushed away the mutts and began to rush after her golem. With every turned corner she could see the shadows of the mutts that rampaged after her while hearing their disgruntled grunts and groans. She tripped and almost fell but caught her feet before she could kiss the concrete.

She couldn't stop. Not now. Not when Alice with in peril. But suddenly not even her thoughts were heard beyond riot of pain in her heart. She clutched at it stopping slowly and feeling like her insides were bursting. But those explosions weren't just in her heart or her head. At the fifth explosion Celia found her footing again with enough time to pivot and see the town. Her eyes widened at the horrible scene before her.

The whole city...was on fire.

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><p>"You're persistent King," Ammit said after losing her limbs more than twice now and tired from the regeneration. "Is your regret for leaving your daughters so much that you need to hide behind a hood to protect them in secret?"<p>

"Don't mock me, Clara," King called his cloak tattered and thrown away after a few hits. His short blonde white hair a bit long to his neck and his amethyst eyes dulled by the years. "I have no regret on leaving them behind. I searched for the source of the one who had killed my wife."

"What are you talking about? Have you gone insane!" Ammit yelled. "Your wife was killed by an Akuma!"

"Wrong. Someone killed her in cold blood. I thought the one who had done the deed had died years ago. But when Janus began attacking the girls was when I knew I had made a mistake. My wife's murderer is still alive and thriving to remain so," King spoke to her diligently. "You all are pawns she will dispose of once she regains her strength. You do comprehend that, do you not?"

"We will be sacrificed to Madame once she is well. And I will do that gladly," Ammit confessed. "But to bad you came to protect them, King. You won't be able to since this town will be erased with them together." Ammit slashed him away making him fall to his knee already becoming weakened by the virus taking its toll. He noticed then on the floor a curved engraving that continued on either side circling the outskirts of the town. The symbols painted in red. The symbol Metatron. He bit his lower lip, "This was all a trap."

"The seal of Metatron will open the portal to his dimension, the Graveyard were he tortures the souls of the damned. The sect of the Our Holy Mother got one thing right, they thought everyone was a sinner and created the entrance to send them to hell," Ammit said with a smirk. "And we are the keys to opening it. We aren't the three Fates so opening Naraka, the endless abyss, is not something we can do but the torture of Metatron will suffice."

King quickly raised his hands and his blade shot away into the sky landing on the city. His arm returned to its bloody form unbandaged as he kept it raised. They wouldn't be able to escape the town before the seal was broken and the door to the graveyard opened. The only hope he had for them to survive was to have them exit the town now and with haste. "I won't let that happen." He snapped his fingers as his arm caught fire and the explosions began. Five took place one after the other and Ammit saw that behind her the town had been engulfed in flames.

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><p><strong>Dammit to long! But this will be a two part thing. I'm uploading both parts since I don't want you guys to be in suspense. You will hate me, I can tell that for sure! <strong>

**This will be the one time you will hear me say this! **

**Don't review until the next chapter because this will be epic together! X3**


	32. Retrace XXX

**No time to talk! This is part two of the last chapter. I'll tell you how much words it was total in the end. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXX: And From the Ashes<strong>

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><p>Prometheus cackled out at her audacity to say such foolish things. "Finish it? How can you? Correct me if I'm wrong but even with your purification powers that the virus gave you, you can't stop the hold that the infection had begun to take over your body right? Even if you survive this encounter you'll be bound to change into that beast, the mix of Innocence and the Progenitor, that lives in the depths of your mind. The only way you'll suffer less and not have to worry about hurting your loved ones is to give that pretty little soul to Madame."<p>

"A body eaten away by the virus won't work for her. She cannot exchange her soul into my body," Alice corrected him.

"But she can consume your soul, infected by Progenitor, to take a step closer to becoming the cure in the flesh," Prometheus chuckled at her gullible attitude. "The only condition of making the antidote is for the original virus be begetted from the branches it create. All goes back to the source. So you see, it's useless for you to think that way. She doesn't need a body. She wants the infected parts of the Evernly Family."

Kanda was pushed back by Janus once again. The boy only swiped his blade before coming to a stand once more. He couldn't believe it, the punk was stronger than he seemed. He was fighting on par with him and there was no way to budge him. Kanda glanced at the side only to see Alice holding a silver dagger in her hand and her body full of bruises and pink scars. Had she healed? But how...?

Prometheus took steps closer towards her, "The virus has begun to heal your body. Because it resides in your soul, it wants the container of the nest to survive. But if I damage you beyond repair then it will have no choice but to escape to the outside. Your soul will be mine then."

Alice stood there looking as Prometheus played with the dagger in his hands. Alice held on tighter to her own. "You're disgusting." This brought a tinge of curiousity to his eyes. "You and all who use power to reach their goals. I hate it. And now when my family has given this accursed power to us all, you decide to use it to foward your own agenda. You're damaging the purpose of what my grandfather wanted for it to be."

"The purpose? The virus is nothing but a destructive parasite that gives power in exchange for life. What possible purpose could it be given besides that?" Prometheus called.

"It gave us life when it took away our mother's." Her mumbled was inaudible to all but herself. "It takes a great being to sacrifice themselves for the great of all. But it takes a real human being to see that when a life dies a new one sprouts in its place. It was created to give life where God had forbidden it to bloom. This power shouldn't be used that way. Only a person who understands what it feels like to lose someone close could understand the true purpose of the virus as a whole. It causes pain but it doesn't take away life, it gives is why..." She raised the dagger and with the slow movement in his eyes, he knew exactly what she intended to do.

_"You and I are not normal."_ The words she had spoken to Celia haunted her till this day. They were true, both weren't normal. They weren't human however they weren't monsters either. What they were would be decided by the choices they made.

"I won't allow you to snatch away what is mine!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs switching the way of the dagger towards her and raising it to her throat. "I will protect it until the very end with my own two hands!"

All saw with a mix of shock and amazement at her actions. All engulfed by the shock only one was able to move just when she fell to the cold ground, the dagger danced away having done it's job. The blood was splattered all over the place even landing on Janus when he grabbed her hand with his and brought it to his chest.

"Where is it, Alice. Tell me where _it_ is," he whispered to her looking at her red eyes that had slowly begun to lose their color and turning dull unlike the blood that covered her hair and uniform.

She coughed trying to get the words out. Her hand reached for his neck pulling him forcefully down so that his ear was just above her mouth. A few seconds passed and his eyes widened just when her hand fell from his neck to the side. Janus turned to her hand to see a small red crystal ball roll away from the now opened hand. He stood up and grabbed the crystal sphere in his hand leaving the bleeding Alice to die by herself. When none seemed to move for a second, Kanda took his chance and ran to her putting pressure on the gap on Alice's neck. She was still breathing, barely.

"Let's finish this one for good," Prometheus said taking a step forth.

"We're leaving, Prometheus," Janus said coldly.

"She's still alive," Prometheus called.

"She won't be for long. A soulless body will only perish with time. Like all other Lost Souls, it will crystalize and turn to dust. Our job is done here," Janus corrected him.

"Right," he scoffed seeing Kanda's feeble attempts to keep the girl alive. "Even if she does, no one will survive after the seal is broken. Let's go open the doors Janus." Prometheus disapeared in a vortex of black.

Janus looked back and spoke loudly, "Alice said that 'she' would come for her. She believed that." With no other words spoken he left Kanda perplexed but not long enough to ignore the subsequent explosions that came from the town, one not so far away. Kanda couldn't stop the blood from seeping but by then there was not that much to stop either ways. Her eyes were still open and the soft, hollow breathing told him she was still alive. She hadn't died from blood loss yet. He didn't have time to waste. The fire was consuming the town like it was dry grass. Not only that but he couldn't waste time having Alice in such a state. Not caring for modesty, he picked her up and began to run away from the town. Celia would be alright for she wasn't there, her station was on the outside of the town. But his thoughts snapped back, knowing her as well as he did he knew that Celia would see the fire and worried about Alice would run in with no caution.

"Valentine!" he barked to his golem once it connected with Navi. Nothing was heard from the other line, only scorches of fire. He knew it, Celia had run into the town. He halted in a dead stop. He couldn't go back looking for the brat with her sister on the brink of death. It was stupid to think it but he trusted Celia enough to get out of there by herself. He did a double take before leaving running as fast as he could towards the northern exit of the town. The city wasn't that far, a hospital was there. He could simply drop her off and return for Celia. He trusted her, as shameful as that thought was, but he didn't trust her that much to think of herself before others. She just wasn't that smart.

"HQ, get that sister-complex freak on the line now. We have a big problem."

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><p>Celia coughed a couple of times before attempting to see through the blinding smoke screen that had now accumulated. It had been minutes but the fire had spread fast and the smoke didn't wait to come. She ran through the streets feeling the burning city's high temperatures all around her. At every turn she would find a blockade of charred trees or buildings that had fallen.<p>

"Damn," she hissed and coughed again when more smoke came into her lungs. She ran forth but was stopped when a building came down from the side blocking her way and caging her in. She looked up but saw nothing. She tried yelling out, "Navi!" She ended up coughing again but kept trying, "Navi, where are you?"

Unable to handle the smoke any longer she knelt down avoiding the smoke that kept rising. She couldn't run anymore, she was tired beyong words from the endless fighting. She couldn't take another step. She hated being this weak. She had even heard Alice's scream in her head for a split second pleading for her to come. Celia knew that she had meant to 'come' and safe her from whatever had happened to her. Damn, Kanda. He couldn't do anything right.

She tried getting up but her legs wouldn't respond anymore her. The eye on Xiao opened just as the tentacles retracted. Her Innocence had deactivated itself. There as no more blood to give without killing the host. Letting go the rapier fell to the ground heavily. All her energy had been drained away by the fight. She couldn't escape.

A sudden tinkling took her attention. Navi was there by her side again cuddling to her neck. Celia felt glad that at least the golem had come back but when a arm caught hers and placed it around their neck she was more than surprised.

The body supporting her weight was strong but invisible through the smoke screen. He was pulling her away towards the closest exit.

Well, he wasn't as useless as she thougt. "You're late, Bakanda."

"I apologize but I am not who you think I am." That voice told her she was wrong but not before the manner of speech did. Kanda would've never apologized to her. Never. It was the man from before. He'd come back to help her again.

"I'm sorry. There's no way out though. Every way is blocked," Celia said in defeat.

"Then it's just about creating a way out." He stepped on Xiao's blade making the hilt stand to his hand. Grabbing it the eye opened again and the tentacles attached themselves to his alright injured right arm. It was one thing that the Innocence had reacted to someone other than the accomodator but it was another that the tentacles only sucked the blood but did not protect the arm of the wielder. That, in itself, surprised her greatly. He held Xiao up and the blade began to give out red flames instead of the usual blue or magenta colors. He slashed it away at the end of the wall and smashed it cleanly out. He had made an exit towards the woods. With Xiao still in his hands, he picked up Celia on his back and ran out of the place. He ran and finally made it outside of the town but nevertheless kept running until they were safely away.

Celia looked up in a haze at the burning town. She could swear three small pillars of light emerged from the ground creating a triangle that caught the town. Then a red circle enveloped the outskirts of it. A great tremor almost took him off his feet but caught himself. The quake didn't stop though and continued as Celia saw the whole town sink into the ground. A blinding light came and Celia closed her eyes. When she opened then again she couldn't believe her eyes. The whole town...had disappeared. All that was left in its wake was a crater with buildings that were almost out of reach of the seal destroyed and a great amount of forestation obliterated.

"H...How...?" Celia mumbled finding no more strength to keep awake much less to talk.

"The seal of Metatron. They sent all of the town to the graveyard to be tortured by him," he explained and began walking away towards the nearby city. "You should have Alexander explain that to you more in depth but that will come after."

"I..." she mumbled trying to hold back her tears. "I heard Alice...yelling for me. She needed my help and I...failed her."

"Do not cry," King consoled her. "You have not failed her. What you heard wasn't a cry for help but more a call for understanding, I am sure."

"Understanding?"

"You will see," he said reaching their destination fast enough and putting her to stand on her two legs. Her knees threathened to buckle but they stayed by her forcing them. "Once you enter. She awaits you."

Celia's eyes widened when she saw the hospital of the city, the streets empty for that long day had already come to an end. She was about to run in with the mere will of seeing Alice's well being but was caught in a dead stop by King's hand on her wrist.

"Let go of me," she asked calmly not facing him.

"I warn you. What you will see will be harsh for you but just remember that from the ashes something will always be born and what started the fire will have to be reborn to be calmed," he said and let go of her and she came in running.

The Finders saw her for they were the only ones awaiting at the waiting room. They were completely shocked at her state. The hospital was taking care of the survivors of the town. One of the Finders guided her to a room to which she ran towards. Opening the door she couldn't believe it. On the hospital bed was Alice covered in blood and hooked up to an insurmountable amount of machines that were trying to keep her alive. The nurses and doctor were running about in an attempt to maintain the young girl alive. A nurse came to them pushing them out but Celia refused to be moved.

"She's my sister!" she bellowed. "I want to know what's happening?"

"She's lost too much blood," the nurse answered once she had successfully taken them out into the hallway. "We've managed to put her on I.V.s and transfuse the amount lost. However it's clear that she has entered into a catatonic state."

"Catatonic?"

"It's still uncertain but it seems that she will be comatose for awhile," the nurse said calmly. "Besides trying to give her body back the fluids it lost and cure her injuries, there's is not much we can do."

"That...can't be," Celia mumbled in disbelief and shock.

"I'm very sorry," the nurse apologized.

"We have contacted headquarters already, Miss Valentine. The Supervisor ordered for Miss Evernly to be moved back to HQ once stable enough and be placed under the hospital ward's care until she recovers," there was a pause there. Celia knew what it was, what he was thinking because it was the same thing that kept knocking at the back of her head. _If she ever does recover._

"Fortunately, though we were able to safe the baby."

Celia's head snapped up in confusion and shock, "Baby?"

"Yes," the nurse explained surprised she didn't know. "The patient was not two trimesters along which helped a lot with the baby's survival. Although it was pretty strange for us because the baby looked just like a fully grown and healthy newborn. All tests have been done and it was confirmed that the baby has no abnormalities and is not at risk. The baby is healthy as can be and is as if it had been through the nine months."

"Baby...?" Celia mumbled to herself still not believing it.

"Yes," the nurse repeated knowing it must be hard for her to comprehend. "He's with the other man. The one who came and wore the same uniform you have."

Celia's eyes widened at this. "Where are they?"

"At the children's wing to the right here but the baby's probably asleep. You should get checked for those wounds though," the nurse couldn't finish her talk for Celia was already running the way she had directed. She turned and found a single door that was still mildly open and with lights coming from it. She slowly pushed it open and saw what she thought would be the last thing she would ever see. Kanda with a baby in his arms.

He was all bandaged and treated for the wounds he sustained during battle. The kid in his arms was cheerfully giggling as he pulled Kanda's hair with one hand and with the other held fervently to his hand holding him.

"You laugh and you're dead," Kanda hissed trying to jerked his bangs away from the kid's grasp.

"I'm not," Celia said truthfully appraoching the two.

"The midget wouldn't let go. The moment the nurse gave it to me, it just latched on and wouldn't let go," Kanda hissed. Celia stood over the baby and looked at it. The baby looked up with it's eyes barely opened by slits. Red eyes, black hair. The image of Atrum immediately came to her mind. The same features.

The baby boy suddenly let go and reached it's arms out to Celia. "It's want you so take it off my hands," he said unable to move from his position. Celia reached her arms out and picked up the little bundle of giggles. It giggled and touched Celia's face and would burst out laughing even more.

This made Celia smile a bit, "So you came out of all this mess, huh, little fellow." She cradled him in her arms as it snuggled in and began to suck its thumb unconsciously. His eyes stared at hers intently as if waiting for her to speak. She smiled more. The man was right, something was born from the ashes. Then what he said about the source of the fire being reborn might happen as well. The source of this little bundle would be reborn too. Celia knew that Alice would be okay. At headquarters they could look more in depth into her than any hospital could. They would find a way to make her better. They would.

"You know what, while your mommy is out sick I'll be taking care of you, bucko." She pointed at his nose with her finger letting him grab it with his tiny hands. "What should we name you then?"

"How bout midget?" Kanda hissed.

"Nah," Celia said with a chuckle. "How about we call you Asutsuo."

"Weird name," Kanda called and stood up. "But like I care. I'm not going to be taking care of the midget anyways."

"Oh, you love him already, dontcha?" Celia cooed in a babish voice. "You love Atsu-chan."

"You dumbass."

"Hold him, yeah?" she asked shoving Asutsuo in his arms forcing him to hold the boy.

"Hold him yourself," he spat back.

"I would if I could but...I'm really...tired," she whispered and fell to her knees before falling completely unconscious on the floor.

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><p><strong>Ugh, i'm tired. Hope you liked it though.<strong>

**Good night~ **

**Please review!**


	33. Retrace XXXI

**Yay starting a new thing here! We're getting somewhere close to...some where I guess :P Definitely getting somewhere, though. That's for sure.**

**But anyways i'll leave the thanks for next time~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXI: Moving On Yet Not<strong>

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><p>Celia's sprung up from her nightmares. Her cold sweat ran down her body going through her nightgown. She sat up in her bed and neared the edge while holding her head with her hands.<p>

So vivid where the dreams that haunted her every night. They would punch the air right out of her lungs and make her get up violently even before the sun rose. They were all of the little girl she had seen on the Ark. The one who was feeding that thing in the dark. Every time it was of some kind of test they kept doing on her. Every time at the same place, the old tower that was headquarters. Nightmare after nightmare, all of them started with the first one the time she collapsed after seeing Asutsuo and Kanda. Every single night since then was filled with nightmares of that girl who was being experimented on. That little girl who kept talking to shadows that seemed nonexistent but were real.

She looked out the window for one and saw the sun rising in the horizon. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. Sleeping late at night and waking at the break of dawn could not pissibly be good for her health. It just couldn't be. And yet that peace and silence was heavily interrupted, and just as she was about to get a little shut eye, by her door slamming wide open. Turning quickly to the entrance of her room she saw the two that seemed to be in sync with her every waking hour.

"Again! Again!" Asutsuo, three months after his birth, now, strangely enough, had the body of a three-year-old. His hair was black as coal still which bothered Celia since she'd seen him. Alice's was a platinum white. His eyes were the only resemblance he had to her. Right now, the little three-year-old who was actually only three months old was clinging to Kanda's forearm which he had in midair. Asutso only held on and swung around like it was a monkey bar.

"I have never killed a kid but I'm this close to choking the life out of this one," Kanda growled at Celia.

Celia quickly grabbed the sheets and pulled them over her body only covered by the thin nightgown. Kanda noticed then but only looked away while the kid kept playing on his arm.

"Look, mommy! Daddy's playing with me!" Asutsuo chirped up breaking the awkwardness of the situation a bit.

Celia chuckled at the name he'd given them both. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not your mother, I'm your aunt."

"I'd rather die than father a midget like you," Kanda spat at the kid who, despite the harsh comment, wouldn't stop smiling and wouldn't let go.

"Atsu, how about you go and get the flowers. I'll be waiting there once I'm ready," Celia said with a smile.

Asutsuo finally let go of Kanda's arm and stood before her and nodded, "Yes." He ran out of her room leaving the door open after him.

Celia sighed and looked up seeing Kanda standing there with the usual scowl, "Do you mind?"

"You're only punishing yourself by doing the same thing every morning, Valentine. Get over it," he scowled and stormed out of her room slamming the door going out just like he did coming in.

She sighed at his snarky comment and began to change. Of course she wasn't punishing herself. This wasn't like something she would do before. Before, of course, she would go visit the comatose sister of hers to remind herself of what she did. But the Celia now, the one who vowed to herself that she would take care of that boy with her last breath until her mother came back, would go see her comatose sister to remind her of what she had then, what she had now, and of how she needed to set her priorities straight.

Once dressed in a confortable attire, which was only shorts a shirt and a sweatshirt over that, she headed on towards the hospital ward. In front of room 302 was the little boy standing earger to enter with three white lilies in his hands and a couple of lavander on the arrangement.

"I'm ready," he perked up seeing her and said with a whisper.

"Then let's go in," she whispered back and opened the door for him. In they went and inside was she who awaited for them there asleep. There she was connected to machines that helped her stay alive. She could breath on her own but if they let her, according to Marcus, she would die by the week. It'd been three months since that mission and she was still alive and breathing. Alive yet not with them.

"Hello, mother," Asutsuo whispered and placed the flowers into the vase that was on the night stand beside the hospital bed. After doing that he went up to her bed, "Mommy's taking good care of me. And so is daddy. Oh, and I ate some kind of something yesterday and it was good. It's called whip cream and it's all fluffy and white."

"I told you not to eat that thing by itself," Celia repproached.

"Oops," he said with a giggle. "I'm doing good mother. I hope you wake up soon." He kissed her cheek and stood up.

"Why do you call her mother and me mommy?" Celia asked the question once again.

"She's my birth mother but you're the one who takes care of me. So you're my mommy," Asutsuo explained giving the same answer that she couldn't understand very well. "So is daddy. He calls me a midget but I know he says it with love."

"Yeah," Celia said sarcastically. "With love for sure."

"Well, I'm heading to the dinning hall. I'm kinda hungry," he said with a smile. "Hurry up, mommy. See you tomorrow, mother!" He chirped loudly and skipped out of the room.

Celia scoffed at his attitude. "How could've that come out of you, eh?" she asked the sleeping figure of her sister. It felt so odd to speak to her while she laid there. It felt like talking to a corpse. Ignoring the eerie feeling she thought about what Marcus had told her once she had awaken after it all happened.

_"She gave birth... to 'God'?" Celia repeated what Marcus had just explained to her._

_"The 21 Sacrements that the sect of Our Holy Mother created were with the purpose to give 'God' a corporeal body so that He could dwell in this world. The Evernly Family used the basics of the ritual but instead their goal was to give Innocence a corporeal body," Lily explained reading from the research she had done. _

_"My father had performed it on the Exorcists who allowed it but none survived long enough. The 21 Sacrements that he created would ideally create a body for the Innocence that had chosen Exorcists. It was clear to say, though, that it didn't work for the Exorcists perished before long and the Innocence would get expelled and return to their original cube form," Marcus' explanation somehow made more sense of everything. "All his experiments were a failure. He even attempted them on orphans which were kept by the sect but none flourished any results."_

_"It was the virus that gave Mr. Evernly the breakthrough he needed," Lily said._

_"By combining the virus with the Exorcist from a young age, he noticed that because of its new resistance the body could support the ritual long enough for the specimen to go through it all," Marcus said coughing for a while. _

_"There were two ways of completing the ritual, right? One normally, another with human sacrifice," Celia said trying to make sense of what she had being doing her whole life behind the actions of the infected Albus._

_"Unfortunately, Albust must've known about those attempts. Human sacrifice was the way the sect attempted this ritual. My father thought it was inhumane and attempted another way but with not as many positive results," Marcus intervened in her confusion. "It seems that that is the only logical explanation as to why your Innocence would have gone with the twenty-one sacrifices."_

_"Twenty-one?" Celia said counting the ones she could remember. "I count the nineteen that happened. Prometheus said that Chaos wasn't complete."_

_"You are right, there were only nineteen," Lily spoke up. "Chaos, which was Allen-san, was incomplete. While the sacrifice of Mother was incomplete as well."_

_"Mother was Alice all this time, wasn't she?"_

_"The sect called the twentieth sacrifice Mother and mostly referred to it as Her Grace," Marcus said. _

_"And the Giver of Wisdom?" she asked._

_"That would be the twenty first sacrifice," Lily said. "It's not really a sacrifice since the Giver of Wisdom only dealts with giving the sacrifices and then gives blood to finish the ritual." _

_"So what you're trying to tell me is that I caused all this," Celia said rather dampened by the idea of so many people dying because of her mere existence._

_"Not all is lost child," Marcus said. "Kanda-kun told me about what he saw. Alice did not allow herself to be sacrificed. She had spoken with me earlier and she knew about the ritual more than you did. However she refused to tell you and she would not allow me to say anything to you either. She wanted to safe you the pain of having to do the deed. He also said that the two took away a red sphere of crystal."_

_"Kanda told me everything. Apparently that was what happened," Celia said._

_"Which is exactly my point," Marcus said. "They took her soul and her body is still alive. As long as you find that soul which evacuated the body and bring it back there is hope to see her alive."_

_"So, she's not completely gone."_

_"Even if the soul is consumed it will still be alive inside whoever consumed it," Marcus said. "If you can set the soul free from it's confinements then it will return to it's body by itself."_

Basically not all was lost. Like the man had said from the ashes Asutsuo was born and Alice, the source of the fire, could be born again.

There was still hope.

"See you tomorrow, Ali," Celia whispered kissing her index and forefinger and bringing them to her forehead before leaving.

Now instead of having Alice, she had Asutsuo. Another mystery to keep her occupied with. If Marcus' theory about the ritual working was correct then Asutsuo was Atrum in the flesh of a living human being. In other words, Asutsuo was a living Innocence. Well at least Asutsuo being Innocece explained the weird growth spurts he got.

Hevlaska had examined Asutsuo a month after he was born. By then he was as big as a year old toddler and through giggles and laughs he let Hevlaska exmaine him.

As they had suspected, Hevlaska felt that his whole being emanated with Innocence. In other words, Asutsuo was an accomodator and Innocence in one. Komui thought it was like a parasitic type but with much more in depth than the normal. Hevlaska disagreed though saying that it wasn't like Allen's which only took a part of his body. Asutsuo was the Innocence itself, that was the only way she could explain it.

The kid would end up being an Exorcist sooner or later that was for sure. Celia's thoughts rumbled on and on all the way to the dinning hall. Since then she'd lost much of her apetite which used to be as much as Allen's but now it was reduced to mini lunches every hour or so. Getting some waffles and french toast she came to notice the usual quietness from before being disturbed by the loud ruckus of the one table she had to go sit at.

Asutso was already eating, that kid could just not wait to eat, and was with all of the others. Lenalee sat on one side of him while Allen sat on the other. Lavi sat right across from Lenalee and the space free was for her. Coming close she took her seat and smile seeing the little kid perk up.

"Hi mommy! Look Uncle Al-chan can eat a lot!" Asutsuo called pointing at Allen chug down his food.

"You eat so much and you're still a beansprout. How sad," Celia chuckled.

"Haha, very funny," Allen mocked a laugh but quickly went back to eating.

"I've heard daddy call you moyashi. Is that your nickname?" Asutsuo asked curious.

"Yes, Atsu, it is. Actually why don't you start calling Uncle Allen that," Lavi called getting a glare from Allen.

"Sure, Lavi nii-san. Then I'll call Uncle Al-chan, Uncle Moyashi!" Asutsuo exclaimed loudly enough for all the people to hear.

Lavi and Celia started laughing their asses off while Allen tried his best to ignore them and kept on eating. "You guys are immature as can be sometimes," Lenalee repraoched and began to correct Asutsuo about that. "You shuoldn't call Allen that, Asutsuo-kun. He doesn't really like that name."

"But daddy calls him that all the time. Why can't I?" Asutsuo asked confused and tilted his head.

"Because the man you call 'father' is a grouch," Allen said slurping his noodles.

"That's not true!" Asutsuo puffed his cheeks angry at Allen's comment.

"Doesn't it bother you that Kanda calls you midget, Atsu?" Lavi asked curious.

Asutsuo shook his head vigorously and glared up at them, "Daddy loves me. He calls me that out of love."

Lavi and Allen stared at Celia who only shrugged, "Don't look at me. He says that every time _I_ ask him the same question."

"You really like Kanda, don't you Asutsuo-kun?" Lenalee asked with a smile. The question caught Celia's attention a bit. What _did _he see that he liked about that Japanese bastard he reffered to as his father?

"Yep! Daddy's the strongest person ever! When I grow up I wanna be just like him!" he called showing Lenalee a glowing smile.

Okay this bothered Celia a bit too much. "Where you going?" Lavi asked when he saw Celia stand up right after taking her half finished tray of food.

"To walk."

Ten minutes later she got herself to the training rooms and more specifically to the meditation rooms where a certain long haired swordsman was sitting quietly meditating his frustrations away. Frustrations which nowadays came in a tiny black-haired and red-eyed package of almost three feet.

"Hey, 'papa'." This made him completely lose his focus on the quietness and frown more than ever. He opened his eyes to glare daggers at Celia who only came into without an invitation.

"Leave," he said coldly and very traight forward.

"We need to have a very serious talk."

"Come back in about an hour when I'm gone," he spat out going back to meditating.

She clicked her tongue kicked him on the chest pushing him down to his back. Once there she jumped over his knees that had sprung up and put her whole weight on him by sitting on his chest. He eshaled a great 'oof' that made Celia frown and cross her arms. "Oh please, I am not that heavy." Kanda was about to push her down when Celia put her forearm against his neck. "Now listen to me well. For some weird reason you seem to have ended up as Asutsuo's role model. So you have to be that good role model he sees in you. Personally I don't see why but I guess it could've been worse."

"Like I care what the hell that fucking midget thinks or what you say," he cussed pushing her off. She toppled over his knees and fell on her back with her legs over her head. She tried getting up and took her a good few tries before she found out that she could turn herself over. By that time Kanda was already walking out of the room but Celia quickly rushed out catching up to his pace.

"I'm being serious. Asutsuo spends most of his time with you when he's not with me. If he's going to then you've got to be a better person than you usually are. Meaning you can't cuss in front of him for one," Celia repproached.

"I have a better idea. Why don't you just chain the midget up and put it inside a room. That way it'd stop being a pain in the ass for me," Kanda called irritated about the talk of that thing.

Celia skipped in front of him and stopped him with her hands against his chest. She glared up at him really mad this time. He only glared back but the staring contest wasn't something that would stop her. "And you've got to stop referring to him as 'it'. He's a person."

"It's a fucking Innocence that happens to look like a human being. If you think about it, it's no different from an Akuma. It's going to end up killing and it'll end up fighting. And no matter how much you want to shield it from the rest of the world, you know as well as me that it's bound to happen," Kanda's words just flowed out of him like a river. They surprised Celia quite a bit for she wouldn't hear him speak like that unless she was the one being reppraoched. Kanda, however, didn't seemed to be done as more crude words of truth escaped his lips. "You're just too dense to see it. There's not always a safe side to everything. You've got to realize that sooner or later Alma."

"Alma?" Kanda's head snapped up with a sense of shock and a bit of alarm at what he had just said and the hurt in her voice. Her eyes were widened with a baffled expression. Her frown cringed showing that expression he had heard and although it wasn't above a whisper he noticed that she tried to hide the hurt inside of her. "Who's Alma?"

He lowered his gaze and clicked his tongue. "Tch. You're deaf, I said Celia. Now leave me alone." He stormed off shoving her out of his way forcefully almost making her tumble into the wall. Celia reached out her arm but couldn't get herself to call out for him to wait. She took it back and pondered at the question her mind had. Who was Alma and why did the name itself sound so familiar?

"Ah, I finally found you." Celia turned around to see Marie reaching her place with Miranda and Asutsuo at his heels. "Komui said to give you this." Celia took the papers and pretended to read them while Marie spoke, "We're heading out to Paris in an hour."

"We?"

"Allen and Kanda recieved the briefing this morning along with me," Marie said.

"Why wasn't I there?" she asked a little confused.

"Komui informed me an hour ago that you were coming. Sightings of mutated Akuma and humans have been reported. He wants someone knowledgeable about them in this mission with us," Marie explained to her. "I hope you don't mind."

"I..." her eyes dazed over a bit she shook the thoughts about what happened a few seconds ago out of her mind. "Don't. I'll go get ready then."

"You're going out again mommy?" Asutsuo called holding onto Miranda's hand.

"Yeah. Sorry," she apologized.

"Is daddy going too?" he asked again. He just wouldn't let the name go, could he?

She took sometime to answer, "He is."

"Who'll be with me then? Will I be alone again?" he asked tilting his head.

_"There's not always a safe side to everything."_ She squated down and embraced the kid who bewildered hugged her back.

"Mommy?" he said confused.

"I'll be back for sure, okay?" she got up and smiled a bright smile. "When I do, I'll take you out to see London."

"Really?" Asutsuo called excited about his first field trip ever outside of headquarters.

"If you're a good boy while I'm gone, sure, I'll take you out. But if I hear from anybody that you were being trouble I won't do it and you'll be grounded," she said walking away.

"I promise!" he called holding on to Miranda who was the one taking care of him on her free time. "I won't be any trouble! And we'll get some ice cream out there, right!"

"We'll see," she called waving a hand at him without turning to him. Turning a corner she could still hear the perked up cheers of the boy. She snorted, Kanda was right, she couldn't possibly shield him from the world. No matter how hard she tried things were bound to happen, be them good or bad. She would try to protect him to the best of his abilities and then, she smirked at the mere thought of letting the leash of that kid free, what ever comes let it come.

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><p>Kanda leaned against the wall of his room trying to set his thoughts straight. He was pissed off at himself for letting that name slip out of him. He grit his teeth and let his curled fist pound hard against the wall. Hearing clinking beside him he turned to see that the hourglass had moved from the tremor of his punch.<p>

He tried ignoring those words he had said to Celia but they kept replaying in his head. Not because they were true but because they sounded familiar, sort of like deja vu. But what bothered him most was that he didn't know who he was talking to.

Celia...or _him_?

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><p><strong>Yay another one out~<strong>

**Next time goes to the Phantom G arc. Hope you liked this one.**

**Please review!**


	34. Retreace XXXII

**Hello people~ XD**

**Thankies to the lots of people who love this story and keep up with me. We're getting close to something... but it's still a little ways more to get there.**

**Now thankies to these people: -MikaCheshire for the story fav and alert! ****-sky of c-o-l-o-r-s for the awesome review~ -Jeanny Foster for the greatness of her review and her love~:D -Plus the author alert from FreeHugs0009, just wanted to put this one out there :)**

**Now to the real issue you came here to read~Enjoy**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXII: Awareness<strong>

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><p>Celia nodged at Kanda's knee with her foot in the small carriage that was taking them to Paris' police station. Every time she nodged it she would say something, "Hey. Hey. Hey. Kanda. Kanda. Hey, Kanda. Kanda. Papa. Papa. Papa Yu."<p>

"What. The fuck. Do. You. Want?" he snarled trying to keep his hands from getting Mugen and sending her to hell.

She slouched on her side bringing her legs closer, "Are we there yet?"

A ruckus came from the inside of the carriage for Kanda had attempted to get up in the moving carriage to slit her throat. Marie, who was beside Kanda, luckily held him down but struggled to keep him that way. Celia clung to Allen's arm chuckling all the time while Allen simply sweat dropped at the her childish way of entertaining herself and still getting away with keeping her head on her shoulders.

Marie finally got him to calm down but the murderous aura still remained around the Japanese Exorcist. Marie turned to Celia who only averted her eyes, "We're almost there Celia."

"We've been freaking cooped up in this carriage for three hours," Celia called mad crossing her arms. "I want a set time. When the fuck are we getting there?"

"In about five minutes," Allen said being the only who could actually tolerate her childish outbursts. Link, who was sitting on the other side of Allen, was trying his best to ignore Celia's annoying comments. "You think you can handle five more minutes?"

She sighed and slouched on her seat, "Even if I can't I kinda have to."

"Would you do me a favor then?" Allen said sweetly with a smile.

"Sure," she said looking out the window.

"Could you stay quiet for that time?" She didn't answer and he took that as a yes. But three seconds in she lifted her feet and placed them on top of Kanda's knee while crossing her ankles comfortably.

"Take them off," Kanda hissed with a murderous grin on his face. Celia smirked and zipped her lips tight and kept looking out the window. Marie saw that one coming and simply held Kanda down by the shoulders. Celia didn't bother with him, after all what happened the day before was still bothering her. And the more it bothered her, the more pissed off at him she got. Not that she couldn't remember the name he'd called even when she knew for sure she'd heard it somewhere before. No, that didn't even touch the tip of her pissed off mountain. What laid deep inside that anger was the fact that he had called her another name. It felt her feel insignificant as if her existance was being overshadowed by the one of this other person. And in his eyes both were the same but the other one was more important. Important enough to remember over her.

She bit her lower lip and the moment carriage came to a halt she purposedly kicked Kanda's shin making him whince a bit and then jumped out of the carriage while kicking the door open. She ran a few steps and knelt down almost kissing the floor and putting her head back as she melodramatically called out to the sky, "Floor! Air! Freedom!"

"Out of the way," Kanda barked at her shoving her. With the unstable knees on her side she toppled over like a house of cards and simply layed there with her hands clasped over her stomach waiting patiently for Marie and Allen to get there.

"Need help?" Allen said giving her a hand.

"Thought you'd never ask," she said taking his offer and getting up with a jump. Walking inside she saw that Kanda had just dissed a blonde that had blocked his way. She, on the other hand, had these dazzling eyes. Celia simply snorted, sucker.

The Inspector that they were looking for, a Galmar, guided them to the lock up. Celia was tapping her feet annoyed by the Inspector's words about not being able to let them go all the while one of the officer's was openning up the door to the lock up. "Why the hell not?" she called out crossing her arms in front of her.

"Your friends are prime suspects on a high profile case I'm working on right now," he explained. That's when he led them into the cells which were filled with a great amount of people who were all crying out in the same ridiculous and outrages outfit. "They're in here somewhere. You'll have to find them yourselves though."

"You've gotta be shitting me!" she called looking at the amount of people cramped in the cells. "There's gotta be like hundreds of people locked up in here!"

"What is all this?" Allen burst shocked.

"Is it Halloween?" Kanda called confused.

"Inspector, who are all these people?" Marie asked the most calm of the group.

"Phantom Thief G. The ones we've caught so far," the Inspector said.

"I've read about that guy," Celia said looking at the different faces of the people. "He's the infamous thief here in Paris, right?"

"So, you've caught them? And so many of them..." Allen said still confused but understanding some of it. The detaintees then began to cry in despair of how they weren't G. Celia thought it odd as well. So many people and yet no stolen artifacts retrieved.

"Exorcists...?" the familiar voices made her and the rest turn around to find just whom they were looking for. "Is that you Exorcists?"

"Jiji and the squad of Finders!" Allen shouted shocked by them in the outfit and locked up.

"Holy crap, Jiji. You got in too?" Celia said perkily whislt squating down in front of the cell.

"Don't be like that, Evernly," Jiji cried.

A kick with tremendous force made a dent on the cell and startling Celia so much that she fell on her butt. "And what the hell have you punks been doing?" Kanda hissed completely angry.

"Apparently, they've been in here for the last week," Celia said on her knees with her hands against the pane that seperated the cells. She started fugging up the glass and drew a face sticking out it's tongue all the while Jiji talked to Allen and the rest.

"Stop mocking us!" Jiji exclaimed and punching the pane. Celia jumped back a bit and frowned.

She stood back up and smirked, "You know I could leave you there for all I care, right?"

"We're sorry!" the three Finders quickly said and held Jiji back. "Please get us out of here!" Jiji apologized but then he informed them that now they knew for sure that all the ruckus was definitely caused by Innocence. Kanda and Allen where in disbelief. Celia already doubted them since she looked at them with that outfit on.

"So, what makes you think that?" Allen asked trying his best to believe them.

Jiji presented them to Bonnaire 'nee-san'. Celia scoffed and nodged at the guys, "What a cutie, huh?" Bonnaire told them the three facts about the Phantom Thief G. At finishing the last one and explaining about how G having no real body explained the many innocent people there, the Inspector called their meeting to an end.

"Thief, ghost, or whatever it is, if it involves Innocence then we'll have to retrieve," Kanda called tired and already irritated enough to last a good month.

"Goldy locks is right," Celia said scratching the back of her head.

"Huh? What are you talking about!" the Inspector exclaimed shocked by Kanda's statement. "This is my case-" But before he even got a chance to reproach one of his officers arrived with a note from G.

* * *

><p>"It's freaking cold out here," Celia whinned rubbing her arms and hugging herself while she sat on the edge of the concrete wall that seperated the great edifice where the supposed jewel would be stolen at midnight. It was about five till.<p>

_"Hey_ _Allen."_ Celia quieted down the moment she heard the voice of Cross coming from Timcanpy's recording. She slouched down and hugged herself tighter. She never knew whether the man who'd saved her had read that letter. And to her knowledge, Cross still hadn't come back from Central Agency. The recording continued and in its entirety it only mentioned Allen.

Great. Another person who overlooked her existence. Just great. She stood up on the edge and quietly as she could walked as far away from Allen and Link.

"Hey, Celia. You want a piece of donu-" Allen glanced up to see her gone. "Where'd she go?"

"She walked away a few minutes ago. When you started the recording," Link called turning the pages of his pastry book. "Which is good. She shouldn't have left her position for some midnight snack."

"Damn," Allen murmured pulling the hood over his face. "I'm stupid." Celia was also under Cross' care once and she didn't know. She didn't know what Allen knew, that he'd found blood and their Master's mask as the only remnants left of him. Everybody else was told that the General was still at Central. He should've told her sooner. He turned his head slightly towards his communicator on his ear, "Celia. Can you hear me?"

Silence and then the one he didn't want to hear answered. "She disconnected Navi. That idiot."

"Don't call her that," Allen said eating the last half piece of donut while giving Tim the other half. "She's just sad and I understand why."

Celia sat at the Eastern Wall of the edifice holding her knees whislt sitting on the edge of said wall. Her hood up she raised her head towards the sky letting the small snow flakes mingle with the tears the flooded her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

What was the matter with her? Why was she crying out of nowhere and in the middle of a mission to boot. She grabbed Navi and punched her again sending her away. The golem, already well accustomed to the streaks of violence that came with her sadness, flew right back and landed on her hooded head curling it's tail around itself. Now the only thing that she had from Cross was the marshmellow. "Idiot, old, perverted man," she sniffed wiping away the tears and letting the cold snowflakes fall on her face.

She wasn't really mad him. Nor could she say that she was angry at Kanda. What she didn't like -the one thing she really hated about all this- was how people had began to put her aside, forgetting about her. Kanda had done it, overlooking her presence and mistaking her by this other person. Cross had done the same, putting his attention on Allen. Allen had an excuse, though, at least to her being the host of a rogue Noah was a good enough excuse. Kanda pissed her off a little bit more because he had no reason.

A small red dot on Navi's tail told the golem that she had a persistent caller. Navi not wanting to get scolded again answered the call but she did so just when the words escaped Celia's mouth.

"I shouldn't have ever trusted you."

"Who're you talking to, brat?" Kanda barked confused but still with his foul mood. Celia jumped that she'd been heard but she faked her anger.

"Who the fuck are you calling a brat!" she yelled at Navi making her sway away but flap right back to life.

"Get ready," Kanda called. "It's almost time."

"I-I know that," she stuttered, her voice breaking down on her as well.

"Is something the matter?" Marie's concerned voice called from another line.

"I'm fine. Just a little cold, that's all," Celia said wiping her nose and making a loud sniffing sound to verify it for them.

"You want I some candy? I got it from Link," Allen asked as if talking to a kid trying to get the truth out of it.

"Literally got it by himself just now," Link's voice came from the background.

This made Celia laugh a bit as she covered her mouth from letting it all out, "Later. I'll get that candy after we're done."

"Let's take our positions," Marie called and everybody spread out as planned.

Celia stood at chimney of the edifice, overseeing everything from the sky. Once she heard siren from the security system go off along with police sirens she knew the fun had started. "Let's get this party started, boys~"

The crashing of the window made her turn down to see another freak with the ridiculously outrages outfit on escaping through the window he'd just broken. Celia looked a bit forth and saw Kanda. Navi sat by her shoulder when she spoke, "Coming right at ya, Yu."

"Shut it Valentine. I know," he hissed. Celia watched as Kanda turned around just in time to hit G's face with Mugen which he had over his shoulder not even unsheathed. "Hey there, little thief. Let's see your face, eh?"

"Haha, nice one Kanda," Celia snorted dangling her legs over the chimney while she took a seat on the edge to enjoy the show. Kanda kicked G once sending him off a good distnace. Celia whistled impressed but then again that was just his style. Once G was caught Galmar appeared with more policemen. "The po-po's here." That's when the guy that Kanda had began to speak confused and shocked at why he was there and why he was hurting so much.

"No way," Celia murmured. The lights suddenly shoned close to her location as a new G stood in place with the crown in his hands. "Fucking bastard," she hissed jumping from her place. Allen got there just in time to kick the shit out of the new thief. Link and Celia landed beside him right then.

"Nice job, Al," Celia smirked. When Link told Allen about the crown being more than Cross' debts themselves, that gave him a great iniciative to protect that thing with his life. When G suddenly flung the crown over the edge both Exorcists ran after it leaving Link by himself. "Hold onto it, Allen," Celia called through gritted teeth while Tim and her grabbed onto his coat keeping him from falling over the edge along with the crown that dangled from the tip of his finger.

"So...what was that?" Celia turned confused at hearing Link's voice out of it's usual tone. "You want to capture G, huh? You think you can?" He stuck out his tongue like a spoiled brat. Pulling him up and out of the way, Celia managed to avoid a hit from the now possesed Link. Link/G focused more on Allen now and kicked him three times only to get him a lot farther from Celia.

Celia went forth and got Link under siege with physical attacks. That was when G found the gadgets that Link had on him and pulled out a very familiar blade from under his sleeve. Celia drew back just before Link destroyed a part of the edifice. _"Could he be...?"_ Allen distracted him pretty well for the five seconds that Kanda needed to ambush G. But before Kanda could even attack, G had gotten seals from under Link's sleeve that encircled Kanda's body.

Celia's eyes widened at them. Those seals...they were the same ones that those people used. Kanda jumped right before Link called upon the powers of those seals and encage him in them. Seeing a bad run for him, Link tried to run away.

"Kanda, Link's part of-"

"He's part of the CROWs. I noticed that," he spat back a little more than frustrated making Celia fluster embarassed and annoyed.

"CROW?" Allen asked.

"They're a special combat unit under Central's command," Celia explained more than familiar with them since both her and Kanda had to deal with their crap when they were kids.

"I don't know or care too much about them, but..." Kanda called after Celia's comment. "They're suppusedly trained from a very young age, and have incredible combat skills."

"They're a pain in the ass to deal with," Celia said popping her knuckles with a smirk on her face. She wasn't going to use Xiao to beat Link into consciousness. Oh no, if she was going to fight a CROW seven years after the fact, when they used to kick her around because she was a kid, she was going to do it and it was going to be up and personal. "But I'll do you guys the pleasure."

Celia and the rest, though, had they're attention taken by the police who found that th second G was a policeman. They were fighting like idiots, she thought. When she heard Link laugh both her and Allen glared at the kid. Allen was the one, though, who had the pleasure of lecturing him about his wrong doings.

"You're the wrost," Allen said calmly but in that serious tone of voice.

That made G snap, "Shaddup!" Allen and Kanda took out their Innocence but Celia still refused to upholding her word as she stood between the two. She ran past them once Allen caught Link's wrists in Crown Belt and lurched him into the air.

"Celia!" Using the walls as propeller, she leaped into the air and spun around to land a kick that sent Link hard against the wall. Afterwards, Kanda up against him and kept slashing at him while G tried his best, although in a sloppy way since he still was getting injured, to bloke him. "Just do it!" Celia called landing a few feet away. Kanda frowned and kicked Link forth impaling him against Allen's Sword of Exorcism. Allen played the part well afterwards claiming the sword to have stabbed him and actually harmed him. "What a douche," she mumbled through chuckles and saw as Link finally slump down.

"He ran away. Well, Marie? Can you trace him?" Kanda called.

"For just finding out who he was, I might've gone a little too far," Allen said.

"It was worth it, though, seeing Link like that. Tim? Timcanpy! Tell me you recorded that!" Celia called laughing her ass off.

"No, no, you've actually make it quite easier to find him. It's good to know that G had proper emotions," Marie called. "And it's helpful that his cries are quite distinctive, too..."

* * *

><p>"Why can't we go search for him now?" Celia asked and yawned at the same time rubbing her eye.<p>

Marie chuckled at her childishness, "It's already two in the morning. I've got his location already. We have to rest for the night and go look for G tomorrow."

"But I'm not tired at all," Celia said through another yawn. She looked to her side, "And why are you sitting here?"

"Beansprout wouldn't move his ass from my seat," Kanda hissed.

"Marie said that we would be find like this. Even if the hotel we got is an hour and inside the city, he said it'd be fine for you two to sit together," Allen said sitting right across from Celia. He looked at her and stared at her watery eyes from the yawn and that's when he noticed the redness. She'd been crying. "I'm sorry Celia."

"Huh?" she said yawning yet again. It wasn't only the late night now but the countless of ones before this one that made her so exhausted. "What're you talking about now?"

He looked at her eyes and smiled a weak smile and shook his head while patting the had her hand that rested on her side, "Just. I'm sorry."

"All right," she said a little confused but yawned again. She finally slumped down and slid to her right finding the cushiony surface she was looking for. "I'm going to sleep. Don't wake me up when we get there." She pulled on Kanda's sleeve making him avert his glare from the window and the outside snow, "Which means you're going to carry me inside."

"Like hell I am," he barked.

"Of course you will," she said with a whisper falling asleep fast with the rocking of the carriage. Her hand finally slipped and fell in the space between them. The soft breaths told them all that she was completely passed out.

"How imprudent," Link called.

"I thought Celia was going to bandage you up?" Allen asked pointing at the cuts on Link's face and bruises on his body.

"She was. Now I doubt she will until tomorrow. I'm not willing to wait until then. I'll do it myself," Link said not angry about the beating at all but mad because Tim had recorded what happened and Celia had gotten Tim to transfer that to Navi.

"She needs the rest," Marie said. "All night I've kept hearing murmurs from her heart. The Head Nurse hasn't said anything about it either, has she?" The question went to Kanda. Once every two weeks since they got back from the Ark mission, the Head Nurse had ordered tests to see the condition of Celia's heart illness. Marie knew for a fact that his comrade would go every week or so to check on the results by asking the Matron.

Kanda's eyes landed on the brunette's head that barely reached his shoulder. Then they went over to the outside watching the uninteresting snowflakes fall again. "No. She's still the same."

The rest of the ride went in silence, the talk about her illness making the mood a bit sour. Celia thought that for sure people had began to disregard the things about her. And yet only when she wasn't listening or wasn't aware did people take notice of her. Specially him. He would speak of her to others if promtped of it and with a tone of annoyance and still he did know all those things, he would go and do all those things.

He didn't neglect her, like she, so mistakenly, had and still thought to herself. It wasn't like he cared, either, for her. It was just something he needed to know. He felt like he needed to know those things. He felt her arm move from inbetween them as it nudged against him. And amongst the nudging he felt the beads that were on her left wrist now. He felt that if he knew those things then that way he could be sure to keep his promise.

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><p><strong>Aww...Kanda's a shy little boy, isn't he? Hey idk if this is OCC since he didn't actually say this things but thought about them. <strong>

**And if it was then oh well I liked it :)**

**Please review~ **


	35. Retrace XXXIII

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>-DR34DNOISE, you will see that scene. Hopefully sometime soon. I've been planning it for a while :). Thanks for the review.<br>-ChozoAlchemist for the story fave and story alert~ :9  
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><p><strong>Retrace XXXIII: Premonition<strong>

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><p>"Are you sure this is it, Marie?" Allen asked taking a step back to grasp the building in its entirety.<p>

"Yeah, this is where G's cries stopped last night," Marie confirmed for them.

" 'Hearst Asylum'," Celia read the words on the top of the building. "An orphanage, right?" she turned to Marie for confirmation which he gave with a nod.

She turned back to it and tilted her head. "Mmh," she contemplated and finally shrugging her shoulders hearing as Allen and Link were already heading to the door.

"Something the matter?" Marie asked hearing her late steps behind the whole group.

"Nope. Just thinking," Celia said skipping a bit.

"You think," Kanda scoffed his arrogant answer.

Celia was about to open her mouth but point at him instead with a frown and called out to Marie. "See! He starts it!" They, mostly her, had gotten scolded by Marie for fighting all the time the night before. Celia, being the good-mostly- girl she was, agreed to be good for the rest of the trip if Kanda could keep his mouth shut with any insults. She kept her word. Him, not really.

"I know he does. Try ignoring him, for the time being," Marie said with a wry smile.

"You take advantage of my generosity," Celia pouted tired of not being able to speak her mind.

"Please," he scoffed with an arrogant smirk on his face. "You wouldn't be able to shut your own mouth for the rest of the day even if your life depended on it."

"Of course I can," she retorted.

"Prove it. Don't speak from now on until we get back," Kanda said finding a reason to keep her mouth shut for at least a whole day.

"Fine. You'll regret this," she hissed.

"You're speaking." She slapped her mouth with her hands. At the same time they heard a ruckus of the door being slammed opened plus the impact of a kid and Allen crashing headfirst. Both fell down to the floor but Celia went ahead to Allen who got up feeling his forehead to touch blood. He looked at it with an odd gaze.

"Damn, Al. You got hit damn hard," she said hovering her fingers over the wound.

"Hey, wait!" Kanda called Marie's attention from the kid he had picked up.

Celia turned their way. "What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, that's right. You're blind. Of course you can't see it. This kid," Kanda said looking down at the boy. "He's got a ball growing from his forehead."

_'A ball?',_ Celia thought confused raising an eyebrow. Suddenly a pitched cry took her attention from the boy and turn to Allen. He was bawling his eyes out and snotting, crying because the minor injury he'd gotten from the headbutt.

"A-Allen?" Celia inquired confused. She touched his shoulder, "Allen, it's just a scratch."

"Hey!" Link snapped at him grabbing him by his cloth. "You're pathetic crying over a little thing like that!" But Allen quit his crying once he saw into Link's eyes. Then is mouth dropped in shock.

"Wh-Where's my body!" he called out exalted looking around.

"This one?" Kanda called putting the boy's body in front of Allen.

"Yeah, that one-" Allen began nonchalantly with a giggle but stopped himself.

"So, we meet again, mysterious thief G," Kanda said and placed Mugen's blade against the kid's throat.

"K-Kanda?" Celia called a little fearful of the dark aura around her friend.

"Now fess up," he said with a smirk. "If you want this body back unharmed, that is." What unraveled Celia wanted no part of it. Kanda kicked the living crap out of Allen and getting a rope out of nowhere began to tie them up both. Celia only stood next to Marie watching it all.

"He kinda needs anger management, huh?" Celia asked sheepishly turning to Marie and putting her hands behind her back. Marie sighed but that was answer enough for the brunette.

* * *

><p>It took one retelling of the occurances for the Mother Superior incharge to understand at least the core concept. "Timothy's been possessing people in order to steal?" Her voice full of complete disbelief and utter shock. Celia was standing behind Allen and Timothy, looking down on them. A few giggles made her turned her way to the open door. She saw a few small heads that pulled back but poked a look after a few seconds.<p>

Celia smiled and started walking towards the door. "Celia?" Allen called. She tilted her head once behind the Mother Superior and the blonde woman, Emilia. She lifted her finger to her lips and walked out of the room to surprise a bunch of kids who ran out.

Taking a full step, she caught a couple of kids. A brother and sister who perked right up in giggles while they were held by the waist on either side of Celia's.

"Who do we have here?" she fooled around fidgeting with the little siblings. The two laughed it out and once the other bigger kids saw that she wasn't as mean as her comrades, more like Kanda, they appraoched her with smiles. Putting the two down, they grabbed her hands and guided her off to another room, leaving the double doors wide open.

"Come play with us, Onee-san!" the two called as more got up to push her in to play.

"Sure," she said picking one of the little ones up and flying him. She heard a bunch of giggling once she put one down as more wanted a try. She observed her surroundings and found something peculiar. Frames at that particular room where up all around the place. "Can one of you tell me what those pictures are?" she called picking a little blonde girl into her arms while the others came around her.

"Those are the family pictures!" the one in her arms chirped right up.

"Yeah?" Celia said looking at each one and seeing how each different frame had etched differents years with most of the children growing up.

"Yep!" an older boy called. "We take one each year!"

"You don't say," she whispered looking at each one seperately. Then her eyes landed on the older ones from about five years ago. The one that caught her attention was one of the girls. She looked no more than twelve and had long blonde hair and beautiful hazel eyes. The features were familiar, what caught her more was the face. She'd seen it before somewhere.

She nudged the little girl's body in place again and asked, "Hey. Do you know this person right here?" she asked politely pointing at the girl.

The child only shook her head, "But Chris might. He's been here longer than me. Hey Chris, Onee-chan wants to know about that girl there on the picture!"

The boy, Chris, turned about to see the picture. "Oh, her? That's Clara."

"Clara?" Celia repeated.

"Yeah, she got adopted three years ago by this really nice man. He took her away and we haven't seen her since," Chris said turning fast around to tend to the other children who craved his attention to play.

"Mmh," she mumbled looking down. Footsteps took her mind away and eyes up front to meet with the ones of another sister of the orphanage. She glared at Celia with dreadful eyes but Celia only stared. Eventually the woman left. Celia ignored the gut feeling she had and kept playing around with the kids.

They were plaing 'Ring Around the Rosy' surrounding Celia when she noticed that the windows suddenly went black. She stared at it and soon all the kids did too and their voices begin to speak up in confusion.

That's when she realized it wasn't the window; it was the outside: the town. She grabbed Xiao and immediately shepherd the kids with her commanding voice and hoarding them with her arms, "Get close to me!" She barely got them behind her arms in time to withstand the great impact of the full on attack. But she couldn't have possibly protected them all by herself. Some were laying unconscious, others crying out. Celia got to her knee trying to regain her composure after the surprise attack.

"The children!" she heard Allen's yell after her eardrums stopped ringing.

"I've got them!" Celia cried out and noticed for the first time the Level Four that had found their way in. "Shit," she cussed under her breath. Allen and the rest distracted the Level Four. Link got to Celia who was passing on the unconscious and wounded kids to Emilia and the Mother Superior while the others ran for the cellar. "Hurry, get there!" she called after them stepping on the first step. But before she could take another a huge tail wrapped around her waist and pulled her away thrashing her against one of the walls of the building as Xiao slid away from her hands into the debris.

The tail wrapped around her tighter taking the air from her lungs. She tried prying it off with her hands but it wouldn't budge and only held her there.

"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall~" a very familiar sing song voice rhymed through the darkness of the barrier. Ammit stepped in from a black vortex as she stepped on the belly of the slithering mutt with a shape resembling that of a cobra constrictor three times the normal size. "Humpty Dumpty had a great fall." She chuckled, "Well unlike Mr. Dumpty, when I'm done with you, there won't even be put together."

"You've got a big mouth for little action," Celia smirked cockily and saying it quickly to safe herself some air.

"Enjoy back talking to me," she called leaping away from the snake and standing aside with a smirk. "Because this will be your last." She flicked her fingers and the snake thrashed Celia twice against the remaining wall that stood and then threw her against the barrier which crackled with energy at contact with her body. She dropped lifelessly and hit the ground with force.

Ammit laughed holding her stomach from the pain. The snake slithered slowly with its head slow approaching Celia's dead body.

Celia felt her whole body burnt to a crisp. Her limbs hurt and burned but nothing more. She couldn't feel anything else. The air wasn't getting back to her lungs. Something was happening. Something that resembled the times she had been so close to dying. That time with Tyki Mikk. That time with Janus stabbing her heart. They all felt the same way. But her words always resonated and awoken her anew.

_"You can't die." _

Her fingers twitched in a common reflect. She had remembered faint memories of those days. Alice had said those words long ago trying to encourage their escape. Alice wanted to leave their place of birth along with Celia. Even when they were back together, nine years after, she would still say them when the issue of their deaths was being discussed. Alice would always tell her that she'd couldn't die.

With the strength of those words she took a deep breath only to pull herself up.

"Impressive," Ammit mumbled seeing as she stood again. "Is your dead sister what keeps you alive, I wonder?"

"She's not dead," Celia called to Ammit with life burning in her eyes once again. Her wounds were beginning to heal faster and faster. Yet remained as pink scars over her body. The scratches and bruises remained though. "You took her away from me."

"Madame took her away from you," Ammit called matter of a factly. "She will rescue us all when she becomes the cure to the virus. Once she consumes all the sources, we will be free. But most of all, we will be reborn."

"What?"

"Don't you know?" Ammit bellowed laughing at her. "Once infected the virus cannot be removed because it infuses with the host. But when it is cured it will adjust to the host and become a weapon. A true, controllable weapon, with or without Innocence; the one it was meant to be in Arthur Evernly's eyes. The host will be a weapon of massive destruction at the disposal of itself. We will not be used by anyone. Madame will bring us our salvation. We will be the ones saved. The outcasts, not the Three Fates."

The snake charged at Celia at hearing the disdain in its master's voice. Celia was prepared and aware of its abilities and was doing well to dodge it. Without Xiao she couldn't safe the soul from its torment and the mutt couldn't be destroyed. She couldn't ignore the battle going on by the front of the orphanage either. The Level Four was taking them down hard. From afar she heard a familiar clacking of someone stepping on heavy metal.

Someone had stepped on Xiao.

"Tch." Kanda saw the sheathed rapier beneath his foot. The Level Four had just shot him down with countless bullets and although his body wouldn't suffer the effects of the virus, the recovery itself was toiling his strength away. He thought that the Level Four and the Akuma inside were their only problem but seeing how Celia had lost her weapon to the enemy told him something more. There was someone besides the Akuma that troubled Celia in battle.

He glanced around to see the flesh-covered snake that kept attacking the injured brunette. "Shit," he hissed. The sudden destruction that the fight of the Akuma against each other gave him the right oppurtunity to pick himself up along with the rapier by its sheath. "Damn, Valentine!"

The cussing directed at her grabbed her attention towards him just as he launched the sheath her way. She leered and avoided the snake's bite and jumped on its head to catch the rapier by the hilt with her left hand. Leaping off she twirled and jerked the rapier unsheathing it with sheer force. The tentacles shot up and latched directly to her forearm as the edges of the rapier turned neon blue.

"Fuck you, Yu!" she bellowed out with a smirk just as she stabbed the head of the snake and landed on her knee atop of it. The blue flames ignited on her hands that had plunged the blade down. "Inferno Azule!" The blue flames danced off from her as they devoured the snake. Leaping back she stoo and watched as it caught rapidly in fire and just as quickly turned hard and to dust.

Her left hand was still alite while Celia glared Ammit's way. The girl was dragging along the bone-crafted pole axe which she had pulled while the mutt perished. A grin was across her face but Celia scowled.

"What?" she said shrugging her shoulders. "You think you're strong? You're wrong. You won't be able to stop us either. You'll come back with me and complete our salvation, Giver of Wisdom."

"I'm not going anymore," Celia said brow furrowed and serious. "And you're not taking me away. You're not taking me anywhere like they did you."

Ammit laughed, "Now you've gone mental. What in the hell are you talking about?"

"You know well what I am talking about," Celia said treading a mine field. "They took you away from your home here. Three years ago, they took you away from this wonderful home and family." Her eyes turned soft with empathy and that awed Ammit; they were full of empathy. "They robbed you of everything and turned you into what you are. That Madame and Janus, they did this to you. Didn't they...Clara Hearst?"

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><p><strong>I'm...hungry. :P I've been writting this for a couple of hours with my tummy grumbling. Now its down so now I'm gonna go eat. :D<strong>

**Hope you liked it guys. **

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**So please review~ :) It goes inside that little box right below~!**


	36. Retrace XXXIV

**Yay~ Another chappy :3**

**Thanks to:****  
><strong>**-DR34DNOISE for the review. I like tying knots with eachother :)**

**Now to the main event~ :9**

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><p><strong><strong>Retrace XXXIV: Pandemonium<strong>**

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><p><strong>The Black Order: a few hours earlier...<strong>

"He insists and won't move from his place," Reever told Komui who was followed, constantly, but his assistant supervisor Bridgette Fay.

"But how did he know you were going to their location?" Komui asked confused.

"He didn't, that's the odd part," Reever was just as shocked as him. "He was there before us demanding to be taken to Paris. When I arrived, he pulled down on me shouting that he needed to be there. I just left him with the bodyguards that Assistant Supervisor Fay gave me."

"All right then," Komui said when they finally turned a corner to the location of the Ark Gate. From his place he could here the yells of the person Reever had told him about. They were frantic alright and pretty demanding.

"You don't understand! I have to go!" Asutsuo yelled at the Gate keepers that stood in his way.

"We're sorry but we can't let you through," one called to him.

"But the hatching time has already started!" Asutsuo yelled trying to kick them. "I need to get there before it happens!"

"Before what happens?" Komui called getting the three year old's attention.

Asutsuo turned to him with a scowl, "The hatching of the eggs."

"Eggs?" Reever repeated confused.

"The virus nests are the ones that are causing this," Lily came from behind them on top of Bagira. "Dr. Marcus has expulsed about five eggs since last night, already has the threat of a parasite being born."

"A parasite?" Komui asked.

"It seems that when the host is no longer opt for living conditions the virus begins to concentrate and forms eggs. Some eggs don't make it but one is suppose to from the many that are formed. The virus is the one that creates the parasite in order to leave the inadequate host and find another one. The host turns to dust and leaves a virus parasite that runs free in the streets to infect more people," Lily explained.

"You don't need to be there Asutso," Reever said with a smile. "We'll take care of them."

"That's what I've been trying to say, you can't destroy the parasites!" Asutsuo shouted and groaned in frustration. "They need to be destroyed by the Eye of Dante or by the Hand of Atropos! Mother's not conscious so the Hand of Atropos is no good and mommy's Eye of Dante is a really bad thing! Lenalee nee-chan said that mommy couldn't invoke that thing so all that's left is for me to go!"

"She had her Innocence. We'll tell her but you can't go," Reever said.

"You don't understand!" he called as a couple of Finders came and picked him up as he struggled.

"You need him," Lily told them stopping the Finders with Bagira. "What he said was true. Only those two Innocence infected by the virus can destroy the virus themselves. No other can. But then again, the pure Innocence born from the Alive Evernly is the Hand of Atropos."

"So he was wrong when he said it wouldn't work because Alice isn't conscious anymore," Reever concluded.

"Dr. Marcus says that Alice-san can no longer use the Hand of Atropos because she no longer is an accomodator of Innocence," Lily explained.

"If she isn't an accomodator the virus cannot work with the host," Komui said knowing this much after speaking with Dr. Marcus.

"But how can she stop being an accomodator?" Reever said.

"Because I was born," Asutsuo called with all seriousness. They were surprised by how the boy knew about it. "Hevlaska-san said so. That, because Mother's Innocence escaped her body, she no longer is an Exorcist. Because of me." He glared at them and shouted again, "That's why I need to go! I already killed the one inside grandpa but more are being born! Not just inside him but of all the others who are infected and are not deformed! I need to go!"

"Go," Komui called hearing enough to understand. "Take him with you."

"I'll go and protect him," Lily volunteered taking Asutsuo and bringing him up to ride Bagira.

Komui nodded, "Then do so please."

* * *

><p>Ammit didn't laugh, chuckle, or grin like she would usually. She only sneered and twirled her pole axe.<p>

"You figured it out. Who I really was, that is," Ammit said with a sneer.

"I saw the picture from three years ago," Celia said hearing a ruckus from the orphanage nearby. She couldn't turn right now because of Ammit. She could see the dangerous aura that emanated from Ammit. "Clara Hearst was adopted by a man three years ago and never contacted the family she loved so much. They stole you away, that little girl was taken from a loving family."

"This wasn't a family. This was just a vacant spot filled with homeless children. I hated it here. The kids were always so mean because of my sickness. I hated this place," Ammit called. Disappearing from her sight, Celia felt the blade of the pole axe hit her side and send her away towards the ground. Celia got up and spat out the blood in her mouth. Ammit appeared a few feet away jerking the pole axe around. "Janus-sama saved me and took me to Madame. She was the one who told me that my illness was something more. A gift from God, a prove that I was a chosen child."

"Kids can be mean but you're wrong. This is a family. The Mother Superior and all the others cared for the children. They truly cared for you," Celia tried convincing her.

"No," Ammit said with all seriousness and placed her right hand over her right eye. She undid the string behind her head and let the eyepatch fall to the floor.

Celia averted her gaze but could not help do a double take at what she saw. Her right eye was also red but bulgy and staring around by itself. A muttation that happened because of the virus. "You mutated."

"They didn't love me. They were scared of me because of what the virus did to me. But Madame and Janus-sama took care of me. They said that they could cure me and then I would be strong. Strong enough to repay the mistreatment from this place. All of those kids, all of those people who hated me. They will be vanished from this Earth when Madame becomes the cure. She will infect all and only those strong enough will survive," Ammit called and charged towards Celia.

Celia couldn't do much because of her severe injuries. Even when they would heal, it didn't cure her fatigue. Right at that moment that was what was killing her. She couldn't fight well being as exhausted as she was. All she could do now was block or avoid the attacks Ammit was sending her.

It was getting harder to avoid them even moreso block them. When she tried to avoid one she tripped on debris almost falling but getting a gash on her shoulder. She leaped back holding her left shoulder and holding tightly the rapier.

"I'm done with you stupidities," Ammit growled at Celia. "I don't care about them or humans or the Akuma and the Millenium Earl. All I care about is Madame's plans and Janus-sama. And for them I will even kill you, the prodigeous child who lived." She smirked sending shivers through Celia's spine. "Not for long though."

She disappeared and reappeared behind Celia. Before she could turn she got stabbed by the axe on the back. Running forth, Celia felt the pain but the gash soon healed itself leaving behind more fatigue. She wouldn't hold out much longer.

Ammit licked the blood out of the axe blade. "And after I'm done with you, you're little Exorcists friends will be next."

A heavy heartbeat thumped through her body. It was like several sound waves traveling through her. It wasn't that Ammit had threathened her life but the fact that she had threathened the lives of her friends. This feeling she knew what it was. It wanted to take control again, Albus.

"No..." she mumbled shaking violently.

"I will," Ammit called chuckling knowing well that it pained her. "Oh it'll be pretty to see they're guts all over the place."

"Stop it," she whispered holding her head. More sounds and voices rambling in her head colliding with each other.

_"Do you want to see them dead like Alice."_

"Shut up. I'm not listening to you," she whispered trying to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Ammit asked. "You wanna run away? Sorry but that's out of the question."

_"Just let go. I'll take care of her and safe them." _

"I can do it by myself," she mumbled.

_"Are you willing to put their lives on the line to satisfy your ego?"_

"Time's up," Ammit said with a smirk. "You're first up the list." She charged at Celia but for once missed. Ammit was baffled and barely heard the swift move that Celia had done behind her.

"It's your time that's up, luv," Celia spoke with a hoarse voice. She raised Xiao over her head and began.

* * *

><p>Blood was everywhere. The Level Four that they had killed was a bag full of it. Kanda was starting to walk away when Allen, who was sitting down, spoke up.<p>

"Oi," Allen said.

"What?" Kanda retorted mad.

"I've told you before," Allen looked up with a smirk. "The name's Allen." Kanda clicked his tongue and was walking away just when Allen was getting up.

A earsplitting scream caught the attention of the Exorcists and Link; a woman's scream. Kanda looked around, from the team only one person was missing. Kanda and Allen didn't wait for anybody else and headed towards the scream. With every second they heard another and another.

Finally getting there they were shocked at what they saw before them. It wasn't their comrade who had yelled in pain. It had been the girl from before, Ammit, who was now laying down on the floor. Her left arm and legs were regenerating just like Prometheuos' did. But Ammit but crying, bawling her eyes out in utter fear at the woman who had slashed at her over and over again.

Celia was standing before her and twirling the rapier, the blade a white color and a shade of red barely visible. What did change were Celia's eyes which instead of a warm amethyst were a cold scarlet. She stopped twirling it around held it straight.

"Now, luv, tell me what I want to know or we're starting this all over again," Celia called with a faint accent and hoarse tone in her voice.

"P-Please stop. I-I-I don't know anything. Madame n-n-never told me anything," Ammit cried, pleading for mercy.

"Wrong answer luv," she said bringing the blade up and before Ammit could uselessly ask for more mercy Celia slashed away all her limbs hearing the screams escape from Ammit's mouth. Ammit panted and cried even more as her limbs began to regerate again. "Now tell me."

"P-Please n-no more. I-I don't k-know anything," Ammit said again. Her limbs had fully regenerated and she was trying to crawl her way out. Celia saw this and slash away her legs. Ammit screamed again as her legs slowly regerated.

"Oh no, you're not getting away," Celia smirked. "You see, until I get what I want you won't be leaving. And since you're infected, you're parts will only keep coming back. Unless I cut off your head, you and I will have a lot~ of fun."

She raised her rapier threathening to start again but a strong hold got her wrist. Her head tilted over to see the long haired Exorcist, "You will stop this now."

"Get your hands off me," she snarled in a low voice.

Allen ran over to the girl who laid crying and still pleading to Celia to stop the torture. "It's all right now."

"Please..." she cried. "Keep her away from me. I don't know anything."

"I'm not done with you yet," Celia called to Ammit making her whimper at the sound of her voice.

"I said to stop," Kanda called yanking away the rapier. Celia turned on him and kicked aiming for his head. Kanda blocked it with Mugen. Celia leaped back and smirked showing her eyes to them.

"Now why would I when I'm finally in control," Celia said sarcastically with that same tone and accent. "I was buzzed when Alice went into a coma. How was I, then, to control Celi if there was no interruptor. But then I realized that Alice wasn't it. The true interruptor was her need to protect what she loved and when she found herself unable to accomplish that task that was when I'm gladly welcomed with opened arms."

"Celia wouldn't have let you take over her," Allen called.

"She would if she knew she couldn't possibly win against that trash," she called nodding Ammit's way. "Celia knew fully well that she couldn't deal with them. When Ammit threathened to kill you guys it was an open gap for me to fill."

"Celia's a dumbass," Kanda retorted getting her attention.

"Got that right," Celia smirked looking at him. They're eyes were locked and Allen knew what Kanda was trying to do. Both knew that Celia was being controlled, possessed, by the infected Innocence. Allen grabbed a hold of his Sword of Exorcism. He knew this was a long shot but if it worked...

"But I've got to say," Kanda called. "You're an even bigger dumbass than she is."

Allen took this as his cue and charged at Celia stabbing her from behind right through her chest. Celia's eyes widened, the red scarlet rattled and angered.

"You sons of bitches!" she cussed she coughed out blood. She tried prying off the sword but at her touch it only crackled with white energy. "Get this off me!"

"Let Celia go!" Allen yelled holding the sword in place.

"Fuck off!" Celia yelled angered. But she stopped the struggle when Mugen's blade went against her neck.

"You're the one who should fuck off," Kanda ordered.

"You think you're so special, dontcha?" Celia smirked her eyes flashing from the red and amethyst colors. "I need a permanent switch in order to take her away for good. A switch that takes over her mind completely. Yes... I believe you two will be good test subjects. I wonder which will cause her to break down completely. Allen Walker?" Allen's glance narrowed. Celia looked over at Kanda and smirked, "Or Kanda Yu?"

Her body suddenly went limp and Allen took the sword away and caught her just in time. "Link!" Allen called, "Can you hold the other girl up with those seals of yours?"

"I don't follow orders from you," Link growled.

"She's an enemy and she's going to be wanted for interrogation," Marie called coming in with him. "Would you, Mr. Link."

He sighed, "If the Order intends to interrogate her then I suppose." He went ahead and began to place seals against the Ammit who only coward away in fear. She was still murmuring how she didn't know anything and to keep Celia away.

A toss and turn made Allen turn to Celia who awoke. She held her head, "What happened?"

"Albus took over you again," Allen said while he helped her get sit up.

"D-Did I...?" she spoke scared that she had mutated further.

"You didn't change," Kanda said knowing well what she was scared of. "You were just taken over. Tortured her on the way." He nodded Ammit's way getting Celia to look at her.

"She said she was going to kill you. I couldn't stop her," Celia said trying to explain.

"And he offered you a way out," Allen said filling the gaps. "We know. We're done for now. There's no more Akuma now all that's left is for the science department guys outside to release the barrier."

"All right," she said looking around. Link was done with the sealing and picked Ammit up taking her to the orphanage's entrance. Marie returned with them to the entrance and that's when she saw the wounds.

"Maire, you're fingers," she said standing up.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

"Here," she said walking to him and taking out the first-aid kit she carried around with her. She began to treat the wounds as much as she could. She glanced over to Allen and began to treat him.

"Thanks," he said after she did what she could.

She got up and walked up to Kanda. "Get away."

"Treating you right now would be better than to wait," Celia said.

"You know I don't need it," Kanda backfired.

"Doesn't matter," Celia whispered looking down. "Let me do this for you guys." He didn't speak and let her treat him. Several bullet wounds were what was left from the Level Four. The rest were healed but she knew he was exhausted. She bandaged his wounds, his chest overly scarred. "You should be more careful."

"Shouldn't you?" he mumbled his head low for only her to hear. She finished and moved away. Allen had been pushing the door with his door for a while. Both Allen and Kanda tried this time but they got nowhere. Celia looked the crimson-cloaked guy's way when he spoke. Minutes later the door was opened by the police Inspector which surprised everyone.

Reever gave the Exorcists and all who were involved in the fight. Once outside Celia was ambushed by a tiny person clinging to her legs.

"A-Asutsuo!" she exclaimed confused at why he was there.

"Are you all right mommy?" Asutsuo cried out looking up at Celia.

Forgetting about her bewilderment and anger she looked down at the little boy, "I'm fine but what are you doing here?" Just as she was talking to him one of the Finders was taking Ammit down who was still sealed. She was passive and did not struggle once. Asutsuo stared as she passed them by and let go of Celia following behind the Finder. "Asutsuo!"

"Mr. Finder?" Asutsuo called politely getting the man's attention. "May I see the girl, please?"

"Oh I don't know," the Finder said but was cut off by Celia.

"It's fine. Let him," she said arriving at the foot of the stairs. Placing Ammit down he stepped off into the sidewalk. He could see her eye to eye with his height. Ammit looked drugged and dazed once she brought her glance up.

"You..." she whispered in a dead cold tone but coughed out the rest.

Asutsuo grabbed her cheeks making her face him. "Don't let it eat you. Just spit it out. I'll squash."

"You're a kid," she coughed again this time coughing blood on his clothes. "You don't even carry Innocence. You can't kill it."

"I can." He smiled broadly, "Trust me." Ammit said nothing but lowered her face in thought. Asutsuo took it as an agreement and lightly placed his hand over her chest and pressed down once with force.

her coughs began then to intesify in amount and vigor. They were getting worse. Asutsuo stepped back as Ammit began arching forth to cough more violently. She began gagging.

"What in the hell..." Celia whispered while everything went on. She heard a final retch that made her vomit something out. A blunt round and black oval that was slimy from Ammit's saliva. She only panted trying to take back the lost air. Celia watched and was amazed at what she saw. The bulging right eye was going back to normal and her eyes were changing from red to the hazel color Celia had seen on the orphanage photo. Ammit -now completely Clara- fainted from expulsing the parasite out of her body. Asutsuo looked at the blunt black mass and took a few steps forth before taking it into his hands.

Celia watched as the boy quickly squished the mass in his hands, his eye changing into an eerie green and back from time to time. Asutsuo finally broke the pouch of bluntness and everything inside it oozed out like juices in a putrified citrus. The rest fell to the floor, solidified and turned to dust that the wind carried away. What remained was a small red semi rounded shard that seemed to be chipped. Asutsuo picked it up and, before she could say anything, placed it in his mouth and swallowed it.

"What in heaven's name did you just do?" Celia asked confused.

"I punched the pressure on the egg that wasn't born and made it come out. Since Innocence only half kills it I had to destroy its body and leave out it's core," he explained like a true grown up. "But I can't destroy it yet so I simply swallowed it for now."

"But if it's the parasite's core then it's concentrated virus," Celia called worried.

"But because I'm not really human it can't affect me. I have blood but my blood is protected by Innocence because, well, it is Innocence. Every part and substance in me is. So I can store the virus parts until I find a way to get rid of them completely," Asutsuo called.

Celia sat down on the step and brushed her hair back with her fingers. She heaved a sigh, "You're unbelievable. You speak like an adult but you're physically a kid. I don't know what's the real you anymore."

Asutsuo came over and leaned against her knees, "It's still me. I just know a lot of words because I read. I have nothing else to do while daddy's meditating. He tells me to shut up and be quiet so I found some books that Lavi nii-san recommended."

Celia glared at Kanda who sat a few steps up, "You told him to shut up?"

"He was getting on my last nerve," he retorted.

"Don't worry daddy, I still love you!" Asutsuo called and got into Celia's arms. "And I love mommy too!"

"Love you too bucko," Celia said holding him.

It bothered her a bit that he would always be a step ahead of him. How he seemed to know more about the virus naturally than she did by experience. She wondered, if the kid was immune to the virus, could that be why everybody called his birth to be that of 'God'?

Then again, Prometheus did say that the 21 Sacraments had been incomplete because Chaos and Mother weren't dead. The sacrificed were complete and therefore the powers of 'God' remained futile. She pondered though about one thing once back at HQ and the children from Hearst under the care of the hospital.

She laid in bed and stared at the ceiling just as the sun began to set at the second day. If the the sacrifices were completed, would the powers that this suppose 'God' would have had work?

Could Asutsuo really be the answer to her dreaded yet inevitable death by this virus' hands?

* * *

><p><strong>Mmh... Atsu-chan seems to have gained a bigger plot than ever now.<strong>

**Next time...won't be the Alma Karma arc yet but another thing. It'll take about two to three chapters before we get to that one. **

**For now enjoy this and please review~**


	37. Retrace XXXV

**Skipping the thanks and all intro today~**

**Gotta get this done before anything comes up :P**

**Here you guys go!**

* * *

><p><strong>Retrace XXXV: A Ghost's Lamentations<strong>

* * *

><p>"A tower?" Komui repeated the word that had been most highlighted throughout their conversation.<p>

"Yeah, a water tower or something like that," Celia said for the fifth time already tired of having to repeat herself. She sat across from Komui's desk and had been there for over twenty minutes having the same conversation.

Celia had finally gone overboard and couldn't hold in her emotions any longer. These feelings rapidly turned into anger once she began telling Komui the dreams she'd been having since they arrived; the ones about the tower and the girl and the doctors. Curiously enough, though, she excluded the shadow being that would always be with that little girl.

And since she didn't have to do a report seeing as she couldn't recall the last half of the mission, she was free of any paper work unlike Kanda and Allen who were now seeking the crimson-cloaked man or better yet his name.

"A water tower..." Komui said looking around conspicously.

"Yes! A frekaing tower! Now can you tell me about it!" Celia finally snapped and shouted in his face.

"Sorry, I don't know anything about that," Komui said with aa smile on his face.

"You could've just told me that from the beginning," Celia snarled wanting to rip his throat open.

"And even if I did, I wouldn't be able to say a word," Komui said taking a chance that Celia would understand his understatement. Being in front of Assistant Supervisor Fay turned conversations that would be rather freely spoken before into a secretive work of hidden art. "Now don't go asking around you get it!" he said pointing repproachingly at her in that aloof way of his. He smiled and got up, "You should rest. Didn't you just get back from your mission."

Celia stood there confused for a second but nodded. "Yeah, I'll do that."

"You should eat first," Komui said with a grand smile. "Many have arrived from their missions as well, they'll keep you company. I believe Lavi and Bookman came back too. Mmh, I think so."

"Enough idle chatter," Bridgette Fay called snapping her folders shut. "You need to attend a meeting in five minutes. Might as well start heading there."

"Yes, Yes," Komui called with little enthusiasm as he left they left his office with Celia close behind. Leaving them be, she headed towards the dinning afar she the small figure of a person, an old person smoking at that; and to her luck, he was alone.

"Bookman!" she called getting his attention.

"Miss Valentine," he called politely. "Have not seen you in some time now."

"True," she said standing before him. "Excuse for being so blunt but I have something to ask of you as the Bookman."

His tender expression turned to a serious one. She dismissed it and simply waited for his answer. He blew out a string of smoke and looked at her, "Ask away."

"Komui recommended your assistance on what I'm searching," she began. "I'm looking for this water tower that perhaps is a couple decades old. It's probably out of use now but it used to harbor children I believe."

"A water tower," Bookman repeated in thought. "During my travels I encountered an odd edifice that was on the outskirts of a small town on the South of London. The town itself is abadoned and so is the edifice. But it wasn't just any tower, it was a water prison."

"A prison?" Celia called baffled.

"It was owned by a cult, more specifically by a sect."

"The sect of Our Holy Mother?" Celia offered.

"Yes," he agreed puffing another string of smoke. "They also owned an orphanage that laid hidden in the forest behind the town of Cartinique."

"What's the orphanage's name?" she asked.

"Mmh, it's been a good thirty years since I last went there," he told himself in deep thought.

"Old panda!" Celia turned to see Lavi being followed around by Allen and Kanda. "Oh hey Celia. How'd you doing?"

"F-Fine," she mumbles still waiting for her answer.

"Hey old panda, I just finished the assignment. I'm gonna go eat, wanna come?" he offered to the old man.

"Don't call me that you dumb kid," Bookman called completey ignoring the last answer he was supposed to give.

"This sucks, we couldn't fine the guy's name after all," Allen sighed standing beside Celia.

"The midget's looking for you," Kanda told her but she wouldn't pay attention. "Hey, I'm talking to you." She wouldn't answer. "Damn it, Va-"

"Miss Valentine." Celia's head finally shot up with attention towards Bookman. "Wish House. Yes, Wish House was the name."

"Wish House," she mumbled and jumped up a bit and smiled with glee. "Thanks a lot, Bookman." She ran off from the place she was and headed to her room leaving two confused boys behind her wake.

* * *

><p>Night soon came and Celia didn't waste any time. She had eaten plenty that afternoon and had packed a few things for the trip. She headed out her door and went three doors down and slowly and ever so silently opened the door. At doing so she barely shed light inside the room where Asutsuo was currently sleeping in. The boy shifted in his sleep and tossled only to fall asleep again.<p>

Celia leaned her head on the door frame and glanced at the sleeping boy. She wouldn't be gone for long. Her only goal once in London would be to find Wish House and find that water prison. All those dreams must have meant something and the only way she would ever find out would be to go there.

Putting a small envelope on the nightstand closest to the door, she took a step back and closed the door silently.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Celia jumped up surprised and almost jumping into Asutsuo's door. "Damn it," she cussed and turned to the sneaky bastard who had just scared the crap out of her. "Fuck, Kanda. Warn me or something. I almost woke him up," she hissed mad walking away and heading towards the Ark's Gate room.

She got stopped when a strong hand held onto her wrist, "Let go."

"Not until you tell me where the hell you're going?" he snarled out.

"It's none of your business," she whispered yanking her hand away.

"You're going to that Wish House place that Bookman told you about, aren't you?" he called when she began walking away.

"Shh," she hissed and covered his mouth with her hands. "You're a little nosy, you know that?"

He took her hands off him with force, "You're not leaving."

"Don't worry," she said with a small smile. "I'm not running away this time. I'll come back, I promise."

"I don't trust your promises anymore," he said with a crude honesty that it stung.

But she wasn't about to back down. Not when her mind and everything in her was yelling for her to find out the truth. To find out what those dreams were trying to tell her. "I won't run away. Even if you don't believe me like before, this time I will come back home."

"You're lying through your teeth," he spat out.

"I'm not," she said looking up with a sad smile. "Because unlike before," she wanted to cry but wouldn't let herself do so. Not in front of him. He had already been her shoulder to cry for many years but not this time. She was persistant and that trait of hers only became stronger the more she let her emotions run free. She shook her head, "I have something to return for."

"I still don't believe you," he asserted with that frown on his.

She sighed, "What are you going to do? Come with me?" Their eyes locked for seconds and she noticed that he ws fully dressed with his uniform although his jacket was lazily buttoned. She shook her head, "Hell no."

"What thing of 'hell no' didn't you understand!" she hissed sneaking into the Ark's Gate. The guards were just changing their shift so it was the perfect time to sneak in.

"If Lenalee finds out you left and I could've stopped you but didn't, I'll never have a moment's peace again," he called walking behind her.

She jumped into the Gate and went through. He was about to the same when her head and shoulders popped out, "I'll let you tag along with you swear you'll listen to me on this."

"I'm not swearing to anything."

"Do it or I yell out right now and have them catch you here by yourself," she smirked.

"Fine."

"Ask me nicely," she taunted with a smile.

The vein on his neck popped at her audacity. Nonetheless he spat out every syllable with anger, "May I come along?"

She smiled a stupidly over triumphant smile, "Yes, you may."

She popped in again and Kanda followed. He needed to keep his cool for this time only. Once back he could cut her with Mugen until his heart's content. He needed to go because he needed to know what was that was making her leave in the middle of the night. This place, Wish House, what was it and what did it have to do with her?

* * *

><p>"You're lost aren't you?" he called after an hour of walking in the forest. It was just one in the morning and they had already lost their trial back to the town. And to add to their luck fog had been throughout London since days before and was not dispearsing.<p>

"Technically not since I've never been there," Celia called trying to find the trail amidst the darkness of the night. "Ah found it," she said walking on forth. Kanda sighed in frustration and massaged his nose bridge. "Kanda, I found something." She pulled on the fence door with ease and saw it fall from it's hinges because of the rust weakening them over the years. She chuckled nervously, "Good thing nobody lives here, huh? No compensation or anything."

He ignored her and walked further into the depths of the woods. She followed closely a little afraid of being left alone in that kind of place. Soon they found a part of the forest demantled and surrounded by a concrete hedge. A tall, metal double door went in with a broken padlock.

"Wish House Orphanage. Property of Our Holy Mother. 'All Together for One Wish'," she read the words on placard beside the door. "I guess this is it."

Kanda opened the one of the doors open and both went into the large front yard. It was more dirt than grass and where there was grass it was all dead and wilted. Leafless trees stood drawn on along with rocks and the inside of the hedge that were drawn on as well. Cribs stood about randomly with children's toys in them. In the middle of the yard was a huge two story manor which they assumed to be the orphanage.

Both glanced about not getting an inch near the place. Celia gasped when she spotted something and pointed upward, "There it is." Kanda looked up to see what she had from their place. Although the fog didn't help a lot, he could spot the tower that was reaching for the skies. A cylindrical tower that seemed not that far away. Walking towards it, they found another door exiting the yard and landing them behind the woods and closer to the lake near the town.

"The trail should lead there," Kanda said seeing the fog as it began to thicken. "Stay close."

"Gotcha," she whispered and walked along him towards it. A good half hour of walking blind and following trails later, they found themselves at the entrance of the water prison. "There's the entrance." The door she pointed was heavy iron and was locked from the inside from any intruders.

Kanda couldn't seem to open it, "Now what, sherlock."

"There must be another way in," she mumbled to herself. "Found it," she called and went over to the solid fence that surrounded the tower. She climbed to the concrete hedge that was the entrance to the tower itself. "Come on, Yu!"

"Don't call me that," he called and did what she had only to stand behind her because of the narrow space. "Where to now?"

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking," she hissed and saw the edge of a ladder that lead to the first floor of the tower. Fence flooring followed the outside of the tower on each level clarifying that it had three floors. Each level had a double door and a ladder that headed straight up into the roof. "The ladder. It'll take us up. From there it'll be easy to get in."

Kanda stepped around her and jumped from the hollow part of the hedge onto the other side where the ladder was. He turned to her, "Jump." She drew in a breath and went almost falling over. "Come on," he began climbing the ladder to the first level with her behind. They went in and found a narrow hall dirty and shallow with the paint falling from the walls. The humidity from the place made it hard to take a simple breath. A few steps ahead was another double door. Going through it they entered a larger hall that went all around the first floor. Six door went around. The same atmosphere from the hall before all over the place.

"Which one first?" she asked looking at Kanda.

He took the closest door knob and turned it to find it close. "Seems like the locks are broken from so much time." He tried budging it off with his shoulder but nothing worked.

"Let's see door No.2," she called getting the door to the left of that one and turning the knob completely. They looked at each other and then entered the room. It was dark and quite small and all concrete. Kanda kept the door open with his hand but saw everything with the grey light that lit up the entire place. A filthy and bloody bed hugged the left wall and a sink and toilet hugged the right. Besides the dirty sheets nothing else was there. "It's empty."

"What was that?" Kanda called letting go of the door making it close. They were now shrouded by the gray light which didn't give much lighting anyway.

"What was what?" Celia asked confused mostly at why he had let go of the door.

"Shh," he whispered laying a finger on his lips. She strained her ears to hear out and finally heard what he had. A distinctive clacking of shoes echoed all around. Celia turned to him and saw him pointing up at the wall before them. Looking there she saw the small round peephole window that was the one giving off the faint grey light. The footsteps continued and suddenly the light was shrouded by something in it's way. In turn the whole room was closed in darkness. Celia took a step back bumping into Kanda and instinctively, like when they were kids, clung to his arm fiercely. The footsteps stopped there while the darkness remained. That lasted a few seconds before the footsteps continued moving out of the way and letting the light in again.

"This place should be abadoned. There shouldn't be anybody in this place. What the hell's going on here?" he hissed unaware is they could be heard by whoever was on the otherside looking down.

"It's a panopticon tower," Celia said recognizing the type of structure from a book she'd read. "It's meant to let the observers see what the inmates are doing." She looked about and spotted a piece of paper on the bed for the first time. Walking slowly over to it she picked it up, " 'I'm sick of being watched'."

"It's a kid's writing," Kanda whispered reading over her shoulder.

"I remember seeing in my dream that this was where they sent the kids from the orphanage when they misbehaved or sometimes, when the children were unlucky, just because," Celia whispered putting the paper down. "If this place is the same one I saw in my dreams then one of these rooms must be hers."

"Hers. The girl's?" he said recalling what she'd told him. She confirmed it with a nod.

"She kept a diary because she would constantly lose track of time. All I need would be to find that and we can leave this...terrifying place," she said with a shiver.

"If we seperate we'll be able to better search the place," Kanda offered. He scowled when she gave him puppy's eyes because she didn't want to walk about the haunted place alone, "Don't even! You're the one who wanted to come look so deal with it."

"Fine, but if you hear me scream you better get your ass to where ever the hell I am," she spat out. Both left the room and began to search first in the first floor then up to the second. Once done they headed to the third floor.

"Last trip. After this we'll go back," he told her firmly.

"It's been two hours, hasn't it," she said yawning. "Alright, let's get this bitch." They went on opposite doors and kept going.

Celia found nothing so far and was on the third room of the third floor, the last room. She went in and saw nothing, it was too dark to actually see anything clearly. The same peephole was there like in all the others letting in the vague light and the furniture was all the same but then one thing was different. The bed was sprayed with blood moreso than the first room they saw and blank papers were spread all over the place. She noticed that curiously the corners of this room were all scratched. The footsteps came again and shrouded the place. Celia saw that everything was slightly visible even through the dark except for the corners. The shadow moved out of the way letting the light in and with it a slight glint caught her eyes.

Under the bed something had caught the incoming light and shimmered. Kneeling to reach she picked up an old leather journal, the lock, mostly rusted, was the thing that had glimmered in the presence of the light. Taking it she got up and saw a distinctive carving on the wall at the height of a child.

She presed her fingers against it as she read it to herself.

_I miss my mom and dad. I hope they read this. At least dad. I want to go back home. But mom gave me away. I wonder what my dad would say to my mom if he knew she sent me here to these people. Would he yell at her again like before? 'Cecilia' he would rant. What a hateful name._

" 'Too bad'..." a male voice caught her ears as it read the last part of the carvings of the wall. " 'That it's mine now'." And without a second's warning she screamed.

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><p><strong>I'm playing too much Silent Hill 4. I'm freaking stuck in the second visit to the subway world! D:<strong>

**Well anyway, I'm writing my frustrations away.**

**Please review!**


	38. Retrace XXXVI

**Since I want to start my work on a new KH story I'm gonna try to update this story so that I can finish this. **

**For now we still have some ways to go :)**

**Thanks to:  
>-Jeany Foster! I have not heard from you since some time now~ Where you been? :D Thanks for the review and for the story alert!<strong>

**Now let's get to it!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXVI: Their Salvation, His Damnation<strong>

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><p>Kanda dropped the blank papers he had found in the last room at hearing the earsplitting scream. To say that it was terrified was an understatement. He run out of the room into the one on the other side where the shriek had come from. He slammed the door open instinctively drawing Mugen out and aiming it at whatever was inside.<p>

A man in a black cloak tilted his head Kanda's way. At seeing the blade he raised his hands in surrender, "I haven't done anything. I heard someone in trouble and came." Kanda eyes the sheath the man held in his right hand. Placing Mugen closer, almost slitting the man's throat, he gnarled, "Where's the owner of that?"

"I found it in here," the man offered as excuse. "There was no one here." He placed his left hand on his hood and revealed his face to Kanda. His hair was a blonde platinum white and had grown long to his shoulders and semi wavi. His left eye and face was bandaged while both his arms and hands were also bandaged. But his right eye was what shocked Kanda more than anything else. The color of scarlet blood.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"A man who's lived in this place when he was a child." The man lowered his hands gripping the sheathed blade, Xiao, tightly in his grasp. "The owner of this rapier seems to have vanished for when I heard her cry for help I was rather near. Yet when I came in here there was no one but this behind."

"You're implying yourself as the prime suspect of this. Have you something to say in your defense?" he called bringing the blade harshly against the man's neck.

He pointed a finger upward, "That whoever actually took your friend, as I assume the person was, they must've taken her through there."

Kanda couldn't take his eyes from the man but briefly took a glance upward. A hole that took most of the floor of the upper level was there. The oddest thing was that it was dripping some kind of slime.

"You see I couldn't possibly have taken her. I am weak from body since a few months past now. So will you be kind enough to lower that now?" he asked in a sly manner that seemed rather familiar in a sense to the young swordman's.

On instinct, he withdrea the blade but did not disregard the man before him. "You said you lived here. Where does the chute lead to?"

"To the second floor room," he answered looking up at it. "Back when I was here they used those as disposal chutes."

"Disposal of what?" he inquired.

"Bodies, what else?" he said nonchalantly. Kanda was struck with the knowledge that the owners were actually heartless enough to not care for the bodies of kids and simply wind them down chutes. "But whoever did this wants your comrade for torture."

"Are you some fucking psychic or what?" Kanda spat infuriated.

"Why else would leaving her weaponless mean?" the man asked him in all seriousness. "He went to an upper level because he knew that he wouldn't be able to run from us through here." He lowered his face in thought and then glanced at Kanda, "There's a torture chamber behind the kitchen in the basement. If he knew about the disposal chutes then he most likely know about that place."

Kanda didn't waste anytime with idle chatter and left before long. The man followed closely behind as they ran past the double doors into the murky and narrow hallway of the third floor.

"The ladders lead to more than the upper levels," he said heading for the ladders in the inside of the hallway. Celia had said that the only ones they would use would be the outside ones since they lead directly to the rooms. The man went down the ladder as Kanda went on behind him.

Finally after two more floors there was no more ladder to follow. The man instead went ahead and ran through the hallway through the left and they found a double door like the ones from the upper floors. Going through it they found two door directly to either side of them and a passageway straight ahead that led to the observatory.

"This way," the man called opening to door to the right and entering what seemed to be a lunch room. Tables and chairs were pushed away and water leaked from every pipe and corner. They went past the room and through another door which led them to an obscured kitchen. The utensils and everything was inoperable yet a rotten smell reached his nostrils. The odor was so strong that he had to cover his nose with his sleeve.

"Reaks, doesn't it?" the man asked as they walked over to the last door that would take them to the torture chamber. "We believed back when we were little that the meat we ate was actually from the people they tortured in there. Some quit eating all together. I couldn't have cared less. I ate because I wanted to live."

"What kind of manic would want to live here," Kanda inquired as an insult.

"I didn't want to live because I was here. I wanted to live because of who was here," he said with a weak smile and pushed the bolted doors open with force.

Inside the chamber had a fenced floor that gave clear view into the water below; half the room was floored while the other half was just and entrance to the waters. It was from the lake which explained why some of the wood from the cabinets which had tools was full of fungus. The lake was near an ocean and that meant that the tide changed. That the watered swayed meant that waves came in from wherever the water was coming in from.

"Wow, you are so slow, you know that?" Both turned to see a blindfolded boy, Prometheus, as he stood leaning against the thick pole that stood in the middle of the room keeping it up and steady. "The tide rose about two minutes ago. Wonder how she's doing?" He chuckled pointing his finger at the place were the floor was missing.

Kanda stared at it and saw that bubbles were slowly rising from underwater. He raged heading towards it but was stopped by a great boomerang that was placed heavily in his way.

"Now, let the little mermaid swim, why won't you. She's enjoy it, I daresay." He chuckled again, "Then again she has no gills so I wonder how much longer she'll last down there."

"You had this planned out well, Gino," the man called getting Prometheus' attention. "You came here to this place at exactly the same time when she did. You secured the area of any of the Earl's intrusions. What's even more impressive is that you did so without her permission."

"How would you possibly know if she ordered me to come here or not?" Prometheus said with a mischievous grin.

"Because I already know what she wants. To complete the cure, she needs her alive. You, however, clearly want to kill her," he said calmly. He had all the time in the world, Celia didn't.

"You're an idiot," Prometheus called picking up his boomerang and going at him out of rage. The man simply unsheathed Xiao and the same thing that happened in that burning town happened again. He had successfully made a blood bond with Xiao in order to use its powers. They began then and there to fight and exited the room for lack of space to battle.

Kanda didn't care for the man so ignored the fight and quickly dived into the murky water. He couldn't see well underwater for the lack of light from the surface and from the dirtiness of the water itself. But well below the surface was her silhouette. Celia was barely letting out air anymore and her face was down bobbing with the waves. Prometheus had tied her to the pole, her feet nearly touching the sand below. With Mugen he cleanly slashsed the ropes freeing her body that only sunk down. Picking her up over his shoulder he swam to the surface.

Getting out, he placed her over the fence floor and got out himself. Quickly he checked her breathing, it was weak but there. He pushed down on with his hand on her bossom. Soon she began coughing out the amount of water she had ingested.

"What- What happen?" she asked, her teeth chattering from the cold of December clear in the water's temperature.

"He tied you down there. Can you breath okay?" he asked not really wanting to explain now.

"Prometheus, he-" Her sudden gasp took the attention from her shivering. "He has the diary."

"Diary?"

"My mother's. I found it. He knocked me out and took it," she called grabbing his jacket. "I have to get it back!"

"Right now you can't do anything. You don't even have your Innocence," Kanda said trying to get some sense through her thick head.

"Where's Xiao?" she asked her mind rapidly changing through topics.

"That guy has it. He's actually using your Innocence to fight," he told her. She hastily attempted to stand up and regain her balance but was still weak from being deprived of oxygen for so long. Using his as a leaning post she got up to trotting towards the kitchen.

Leaning against the door frame she was baffled at seeing him again. It had been months since he saved her that day at that town. He'd done the same thing and somehow managed to synchronize with Xiao even though it was her Innocence.

She took a deep breath and with a hoarse voice called out, "Old man!"

The man simply blocked one of Prometheus' attacks before turning to Celia's direction. With a wry smile he launched the rapier her way and quickly turned his infected arm into the weapon from before to continue the battle. With a shaky hand, Celia got her weapon back as it attached and began to draw blood.

"You're unfit to fight in your condition," Kanda repproached her unsheathing Mugen.

"I healed. I'll be okay." She heard a cry from not far beyond and saw as many of those dogs from before walking their way. "We need to take care of them though."

"No shit."

"Just don't let them touch you!" she called just as the mutts began to attack them.

"You're an idiot, King. Wanting to help her even when you're dying away," Promtheus called overjoyed from fighting someone who could fight on par with him. "You should know better!"

"I don't need lectures from an ungrateful brat!" King called and slashed him away into the wall. Prometheus drew away from the wall and noticed that the walls were brittle from years.

He grinned, "Fine. If you are that stupid then I'll show you what I'm talking about." He raised his boomerang over his shoulders. King saw, as he raised it to be thrown, that the trajectory would get all the walls. Walls that were weak over the years. They wouldn't sustain such an attack.

"Get away from here!" he yelled at the two Exorcists at the top of his lungs.

"Too late, King!" Prometheus shouted throwing the boomerang away with a manic laugh as it hit the walls. Prometheus didn't wait for it and exited through a vortex and when the boomerang came back it went through and the vortex closed.

Kanda heard the breaking away of the walls. He knew the place was about to collapse altogether. Celia was still fighting against the mutts but was cut short when Kanda pulled her into him.

"Kanda, what are yo-" but the words were drowned by edifice beginning to fall. She felt those heavy arms around her pulling what he could of her frame below his.

It took less than a minute for the whole thing to fall to the ground. Kanda could barely keep conscious from the exhausting deal of regenerating his body was going through. Having a ton of bricks falling on him was indeed a bitch. He pushed his arms out once he heard no more noise. The rubble on his shoulder and back fell over as he felt the air hit him. It came in fresh and salty.

"Y-Yu?" Celia's scared voice came from below him.

He looked down panting from his fatigue. He simply laid a pat on her head before his whole weight fell on her small frame.

"K-Kanda! You're heavy!" she hissed trying not to let him crush her. The weight suddenly lifted when a pair of hands pulled him off her. She looked up to see him, the man, helping Kanda from out the ruins of what was left of the place. With his help they took him away towards a nearby tree. Sitting down on the dirt and little grass there was, she got Kanda's to rest on her lap for the time being.

"Navi!" she called as her golem came out and blinked twice for connection. "H-HQ, it's Celia Valentine requesting help. Kanda is with me. We're both injured, he's unconscious. Sent help immediately to this golem's location!"

A few seconds before static came and with it the answer, "Roger that, Miss Valentine. We'll sent it right over."

"A-Alert Supervisor Komui," she said out of breath from caring Kanda.

"Yes ma'am." One of the Gate's attendants must of answered her. Nobody else, besides Finders, would answer so politely.

"Miss Valentine, right?" the man called digging into his cloak and taking out the diary out. "I snatched it away from Gino before he got away. I don't believe he noticed."

"Why?" she asked not taking the book in her hands but simply confused as to the man's actions. "Why have you helped me? You did the same thing before in the town. You're able to synchronize with my Innocence when it should be impossible. Who the fuck are you!"

"My name's Kingsley." His smile grew to a wry, sympathetic one, "Kingsley Everlott."

"Everlott?" she repeated with a dry mouth from her bewilderment. "Alice's-"

"Not just hers, me fille," he said placing his palm against her cheek where a sudden and inexplicable tear flowed down. "Not just hers."

"B-But...Marcus said the Order was out to get you all. They killed Cecilia; they got my mother killed. They said that you went missing when instead they persecuted you for so many years," she cried to him still baffled by the sudden intake of so much information at once.

"They persecuted me for years, yes, but they never found me. Up until this day no one but you has seen me alive," he lowered his hand and said with a passive voice that reminded her very well of her own when she was trying to pasify the fights between Allen and Kanda. "You have to understand, my dear, that what I did, I did it because I had no choice. I was devasted because of your mother's death. I wasn't thinking straight when I told Alexander to save you at any costs. And although it turned out like this I'm happy I lived thus far to see you so grown now." He chuckled nervoulsy, "He was right. You grew into a formidable yound lady."

"You..." she said remembering who would say that about every girl he met. "You and him. You knew him?"

"I had contact with him three years ago," King explained briefly. "Cross Marian had barely taken the mission of the Egg plant when I met him. He was the one who found me, actually, while looking for clues for the plant."

"You were still in contact with Marcus then. That's how Cross found out about the plant being in Edo. He knew because Marcus lived there. And you were the delivery boy who sent him the information," Celia said crying silent tears that pecariously fell on Kanda's face. The tinges of water made his eyes flutter open slowly. His mind was a blut but his senses were still clear.

"I heard the first things about you by his word," he confessed. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to take care of you like it should have been."

"What have you been doing for these nine years?" she asked not caring about his useless excuses.

"Looking for answers," he replied to her question. "I searched about Arthur's research and all came back to Our Holy Mother. Have you already figured out the connection between your mother and the cult?" he asked knowing she most likely had.

"Did..." she asked hastily. "Did my mother try the 21 Sacrements?"

He nodded, "And you became the result of that ritual done correctly. You and your sister. What we didn't know was that the Innocence that Alexander attached to you both was my Cecilia's which, after your birth, had become a cube again but curiously enough had been seperated into two seperate Innocence."

"Albus and Atrum were once one then," she said. "Marcus implanted us with two parts of one Innocence." She looked about before looking at him again, "Why can you use Xiao?"

"Blood connects us, mon cheri. I, as your father, have half of your blood. Xiao is Innocence infused with a blood sucking parasite of your kind of blood. The blood of kin can activate the Innocence but only you can pull it off to it's full potential."

"You knew so much," she cried. "Why didn't you come back? To me and to Alice. Why did you leave us alone when we needed you the most?"

"I couldn't go back," he said in despite of himself. "It shames me to say that I only discovered feeble ways to treat the virus inside of us. Marcus found another. But none of us have found a definite cure."

"What about the parasite that exits our body?"

"It leaves because it's trying to evacuate an already dying host. It's no cure," he explained. "But the child that came from your 21 Sacrements. Maybe he can truly become a cure for our misfortune."

"Asutsuo?" she mumbled.

"He absorbs the virus into his body and is immune to it. He may be our only salvation but only when he's completed will he be of any true use," he said.

"You're saying it like he's a tool. Asutsuo's your grandchild and my nephew! He's not some disposable tool that you can use to your disposal! No matter how he was born, he's still human!" she cried out astonished at her own father's suggestions.

"You're wrong," he said standing up, placing the book down and walking away. "All the Evernly family has lost any trace of their humanity since the first generation. Arthur gave us this legacy to carry. It's our cross to bare and whether you want to accept it or not it will be his as well if you do not complete the sacrifices. He's our only ticket out and you're the only one who can complete him. Finish the ritual and give him purpose. If not sooner or later you'll end up just like your mother before she died: a mindless puppet controlled by Innocence. You'll be just another Apocryphos."

He walked away leaving Celia to her own with Kanda.

"What...an asshole..." Celia jerked at the sound of his voice.

"Since when..." she began with a hoarse voice trying to keep away the tears.

"Sometime." He moved but groaned at the pain that ran through his body. He wasn't all that healed yet.

"Don't move," she mumbled holding his shoulder down. "You took a heay load back there. You should rest for now, HQ's sending help. We'll be back home before you know it."

"Aren't you suppose to be crying?" he spat out straight forward.

"You're a bastard," she mumbled wiping away the tears but feeling the sting become anew.

"Why are you trying to play tough in front of me for?" he asked confused. "I'm hear damn ashame to have to lean on you for care, for fuck's sake."

"Weren't you the asshole who told me to be strong?" she flared at his undesicive mind.

"I told you to be strong against those you fight never against yourself." He tossed some more but found his pain a little too overwhelming. "You can cry if you want to. You're a girl."

"I wish I could be strong in both mind and body like Lenalee is," she suddenly brought up.

"But even she cries. You know that more than me. You know it's true," he mumbled.

That's when he felt the droplets on her face that rolled down. Her eyes were glazed from the tears and the amethyst seemed to be a very warm color. "I hate this. My family's all screwed up. Be it the Evernly's or the Everlott's, there's no one who understands me. The only one that did is gone. I know that she won't wake up but I still go there. I think that I'm truly afraid that one day I'll be the one who doesn't wake up and everyone else just goes on with their life."

"Those people back there wouldn't do that," Kanda mumbled. "They care for you."

"But what if I'm in her place? What if something happens to me and I'm left like that? People will continue with their life. Even Asutsuo's forgetting his own mother and replacing her with me. Will that happen if I die? I can't help but think the worse," she cried covering her eyes with her hands to keep him from seeing as the tears poured out from weeks of keeping them bottled in. The tears still fell on his face.

Despite his pain he got up and placed a hand on her head, patting it. "They're annoying as hell but I'm sure they wouldn't do that." He patted it once more and suddnely brought her head to his shoulder, "And it's not like you're that useless that I would either."

"You-! You idiot!" she cried clinging to his shoulder and bawling out completely. He ignored her crying because he was fairly accustomed to being the shoulder she cried on. But when she raised from her place it took him by surprise not that but the act that came after.

She leaned forth and pressed her lips to his. He was baffled by the mere action that he couldn't do anything at first. When he finally became responsive again he didn't attempt to move but found something eerie between their contact.

It was her. She felt odd, kind of off. Then he noticed -all the while she was pressing her lips harder against his with her hands on his neck- her temperature was rather off.

He literally pushed her away to arms length and noticed her reddened face. The palms that remained behind his neck emanated the same torrid feeling. She was burning up in fever again just like she did when she had rebounded that time. But the damn brat hadn't brought the box; not only that but the stupid ass had forgotten to refill them. She thought she would only be there for a night. He clicked his tongue and stood up, slightly rested, while carrying her fever stricken hot-headed comrade.

Her head suddenly landed on his chest with her hands still on the back of his neck. "You're so damn sly, Yu."

"Found them!" Kanda heard the Finder that alerted the rest as he came closer. "Kanda-san. Is Celia-san al-"

"Tell Dr. Marcus to prepare serum. She needs it urgently," Kanda called. The Finder stuttered and ran in place confused at his orders. "Now!" he barked scaring him off. He left her with the Finders that came afterwards and they were sent back to HQ.

Even after being tended and reppraoched by Komui for letting Celia leave without permission, Kanda couldn't keep what had happened out of his mind. That kiss. It wasn't just the fever that made it feel warm. He didn't know what it had been but something felt different at that brash touch.

But then again could the caustic fever have clouded her mind and made her act on impulse? If so then she must have had wanted to do what she did before the fever stroke her.

All actions and reasons to them only caused him to linger more on such unimportant and mediocore issue. He couldn't let himself linger on such trivial matters. Not when in his own mind ambled the memory of _her._

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><p><strong>Long chapter, i know. But after this we start the Alma Karma arc and then who knows. I'm still thinking about it~ -w-<br>Lies~! X3 I have this story all planned out! **

**Anyway here it was.**

**Please review! or comment! or whatever it's called now!**

**Still reviews for me!**


	39. Retrace XXXVII

**Yay! CX We're now properly in the Alma arc~ Another yay! **

**Now with the thanks:  
>- xXRedxXxMidnightXx for the story alert and story fav.<br>-and miss wonderful, Jeany Foster for keeping up with the review even when she's so busy :D Love you~ **

**This is for you guys and everybody else as well. Hope you like it~ ;)**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXVII: Learning to Fly<strong>

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><p>Celia forcefully yanked the I.V. tubes from the back of her hand despite the continued blabbering of the nuerse that had been taking care of her since she came back.<p>

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Goodness gracious, how uptight can you guys be? Seriously, geez," Celia mumbled brushing her hair back with her fingers. Odd. It'd grown much longer since she cut it. From her barely touching her shoulders it was now half way past her back.

She walked past the nurse and out of the hospital ward. She hadn't been out of that place since that forenight and she was already sick of being...sick.

Was she sick? When she became conscious the night before she felt woozy and lightheaded. Marcus was there a few hours after she awoke and explained what had happened. While she was at the water prison, the virus had began overcompensating for losing so much oxygen. It had attempted to help the host live but with the rebound effects it wasn't much help except as a warning. It helped since Kanda had figured out the high fever that had gone through her system.

Thing was she didn't quite well recall when she had began to feel so out of it. While walking, her growling stomach guiding her steps, she tried to see what she remembered.

Well, she recalled all the talk with her fa- Kingsley. The 'asshole', as Kanda tagged him, had said some brutal stuff about the problems in their family. The worst of all were the ones about Asutsuo. That boy wouldn't go through what she had. Not as long as she could stop it.

"What's the kid doing?"

"Don't know but he's keeping up with that demon?"

"Demon?" Celia mumbled overhearing the Finders that stood crowded around the second training ground.

"He's strong!" one proclaimed. "I've seen him spar with normal Exorcists. He may be able to beat his punk ass!"

"Go! Beat his ass, kid!" one of them called raising his hand and sticking out his middle finger.

"Kick that Kanda's ass!" another raised his voice doing the same thing. Celia chuckled nervously. Of course, who else would enfuriate the Finders other than him. "Go Evernly boy!"

"Evernly?" Celia mumbled shocked.

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><p><strong>-Five minutes prior-<strong>

Asutsuo watched intently while his Daddy and the elder Bookman fought on par. His eyes glimmered as he saw every move, following every kick and punch. To say he was amazed would be an understatement. He had sparred with many people since he learned how self-defense. Now, almost four months in, he could fight on par with his nii-san Lavi. But he had never seen his 'father' once fight.

In front of him now was the person he idolized just as much as his 'mommy'. His role model fighting so gracefully and keenly that it surprised him. He was shocked but at the same time proud.

Finally, Asutsuo watched as Kanda gave a simple hit at the old Bookman. That was enough to stop the elder and surrender himself to him.

Kanda scorned and snorted in disdain at how they made him waste his time. What he hadn't realize though once he was done fighting Bookman was that a stout midget stood there scouting for a match.

"What do you want," he spat out already angered enough since Bookman declared that he had 'lost' his hairtie.

"I want a match with you!" Asutsuo exclaimed perkily actually retraining himself from calling Kanda 'Daddy'.

"Get lost," Kanda spat out ready to walk away.

"Please!" he pleaded pulling hard on his arm. "If you fight against me I promise I won't ever call you 'daddy' again!"

This, curiously, awakened his interest. He turned to the boy and looked down at him with the same scowl on his face, "I win, you don't ever speak that word again."

"Promise!" Asutsuo called happy that he broke through the usually cold mentor he had as a father. Kanda thought about it for another minute and finally sighed yanking his arm away.

"Just don't go crying to her when I beat you," Kanda sighed massaging the back of his neck and walking a few steps away to get into stance.

"Yes sir!" Asutsuo exclaimed overjoyed taking a stand opposite from Kanda. "Do I start?"

"Whatever, just go." Kanda was more grouchy than usual because of his hunger. He really didn't want to deal with the midget now.

"Okay!" Asutsuo called very much perked up about fighting Kanda. He couldn't keep himself still and Kanda was getting frustrated.

"Sometime today!" he yelled at the kid getting shouts from the Finders about how he shouldn't be treating a child like that.

"Y-Yes!" Asutsuo ignored the voices of the people around him and took in a deep breath. During his first self-defense classes with Celia he'd learned about his over eagerness. He learned it made him an easy duckling to hit if he couldn't calm down. He took another deep breath and remembered the same words of advice she had given him.

_"I consider fighting a game of statregy not brute force. You have proven your strong point to be your quick feet. Use that as your advantage in the battlefield. With the research and training you have on them, you can aim for the pressure points in the body; more precisely the balance disruption points. That way you'll be able to quickly disarm your enemy."_

He'd never acutally used his quick feet and teachings in the pressure points in battle but who else would fight him seriously enough to try them than Kanda. He took a third breath and stepped forth.

Kanda wasn't expecting much from the beginning so when the boy before him disappeared from his eyesight. His eyes widened in surprise. He felt the ripple in the air to his left. Raising his forearm he blocked Asutsuo' kick.

_Fast._ Since when had the midget been so damn fast on his feet? Before he had time to raise his feast towards him, Asutsuo had already reached the floor and disappeared from his sight. Kanda felt the air move again behind him. Now blocking with his right he left the small fingers that made contact with his forearm. Before Kanda could raise his left hand, the boy had already leaped away and stood in stance.

He looked curiously at Kanda which broke his calmness. "S-Sorry. I've never tried it before. Can you still feel your arm?"

Kanda grabbed his forearm. So that was what he'd done. Pressure points. No wonder his arm had felt like ants were crawling up and down it. The brat had missed the point by a few millimeters because Kanda could clearly feel a fourth of the intended damage. He felt strange using his right arm now because of the bothersome tingling.

Ignoring it was one thing but he already had enough with ignoring the annoying voices of the Finders that overlooked the battle. How he wished he could just shut them all up already.

Asutsuo regained his calm demeanor and he took another step forth. Kanda followed his every move; he wasn't about to let a little midget like him surprise him a second time. He was going to this with one hit and put him right to sleep.

But someone had beat him to it because the instant the boy had lifted his feet from the ground to attack, that someone had grabbed him by his ankles and thrown him head first towards Kanda. Intuitively he caught the brat and looked up to see who was stupid enough as to stop them.

"M-Mommy!" Asutsuo cried completely nervous to the fact that she had seen him. Stumbling with his feet and hands he fell with a heavy 'oof' from Kanda's hold and stood quickly up.

"I cannot believe you two!" she bellowed making the place go from its cursing and shouting to simple mumbling. "Asutsuo Evernly, did I not clarify enough that you were not to use my teachings in real combat?"

"Y-Yes but-" he stuttered scared, his lip quivering.

"No buts. I will not hear any excuses from you. Go to your room, I'll have a talk with you later."

"B-But mommy!"

"Now!" she called out firmly. Asutsuo shut up right there and then. Like a pup with his tail inbetween his legs, he marched away to his abode. Not only him but the crowd soon dispersed when she had bellowed at the kid so badly. It was as if they had been scolded as well for being so childish. "And where do you think you're going?"

"To eat." Kanda couldn't possibly ignore the discontent in her voice. Which was most probably why he didn't stop walking away. However that didn't really stop her from walking up to him and getting in his way from the dinning hall.

"You aren't guiltless from this, Kanda Yu. You willingly fought with him even when I told you that I didn't want him to be trained in fighting. You agreed to taking responsability for the boy," she barked at him completely outraged by what had happened.

"First of all, he's not mine so I have no responsabilities over him. Second, I never agreed to such bullshit," he proclaimed.

"You promised me you would at least listen to me in what concerned him. I don't want him fighting, Kanda," she said through gritted teeth and lowering her voice seeing as the place had become the normal quiet as usual.

"I'm not going to stop training just because the midget's watching," Kanda reppraoched. "If you're so damn concern take him away from my sight."

"You will not get that pleasure from me, Kanda Yu. He looks up to you as much as I dislike it. I don't intend to shatter his little hopes because of you," she said with a sigh. She had already calmed down, "Just don't let him fight again. I just taught him those things for self-defense. Nothing else. Don't encourage violence on him."

"He was the one who asked for it."

"And you comply easily to children, right?" she added sarcastically.

"I wouldn't be talking about complying easily when you just let your own missing father escape," he countered already pissed off enough. But he realized just how deep he'd hit her a little too late.

"You know what? For some strange reason that didn't hurt," she said nonchalantly. "I realized last time I spoke with him that he is an asshole. Right now all I have left to protect is Asutsuo. I won't use him for whatever he was suppose to be used for. I won't do that to him. I won't turn him into what I am. That's why I couldn't care less for that bastard of a father I have." She took a deep inahle and exhaled through her mouth. "Relaxing helps with stress. Now I see why you meditate. By the way, I was going to ask you what happened after he left?"

"What do you mean?" he retorted back rather quickly.

She scratched the back of her head embarassed for a completely different reason than his. "I can't recall much after I talked to Kingsley. I'm tired of missing gaps in my memory. Care to tell me what happened after he left?"

"You cried as usual," he spat out turning away. "That's when I noticed the fever. The Finders got there short after. That's all."

"Oh great. Thought I missed something important," she said giving off a mild puff of a chuckle. She left quickly after heading for Asutsuo's room. On her way out of the training grounds she heard a great hit on granite. She thought about it for a second but decided to ignore it and continue walking. She figured it would be some of the ones training who'd gone too far.

Once at the room's door she stood there and knocked. A small and feeble 'come in' came from the other side. She turned the knob and went in to find Asutsuo lying on his bed staring at the cieling. At seeing who it was he quickly got up and crossed his legs and sat on the bed looking at her as she came closer closing the door behind her.

"Are you mad?" he asked sounding a bit scared.

"I'm not mad," she said in a very calm voice and with a wry smile on her lips. She sat next to him on the edge of the bed, "Just disappointed." He thought that her being mad was bad but disappointment made him feel like he'd hurt her in the worst way possible.

"I'm sorry." He apologized right of the bat. "I didn't mean to disappoint you. It's just that daddy and mommy are strong. The way I see it, you and him are the strongest Exorcists here. I just wanted to be strong like you. I wanted to be able to not stand behind but by your side."

Celia smiled understanding his delima. She slightly slapped her thighs getting his attention, "Get on." Asutsuo crawled over and sat on her lap while she began to brush his hair with her hand. "I didn't mean to shout at you like I did. It was unnecessary of me. And I understand what you're trying to say." She chuckled at a mindless thought, "Actually I was like you once."

Asutsuo drew his head back to look up at Celia, "Really?"

"Mmh," she affirmed. "I was tired of being left behind so a thrived to become someone stronger. Someone who wouldn't have to depend on him."

"You're talking about daddy, aren't you?" he asked curious turning around to sit down and face her while she held him still from his back.

"Yes, actually," she said with a small smile. "I have gotten better since then. I've been able to stand beside all my friends in combat and in other things as well."

"Just because you wanted to be stronger?"

"Yep."

Asutsuo looked straight ahead deep in thought and finally locked eyes with her, a determined look on his. "I want to be stronger too. I want to be able to be with mommy and daddy and all the others."

"I'm proud that you want to Asutsuo. Really, I am. However I would rather have you here where I know you'll be safe and sound," she confessed placing strands of his hair behind his ear. "I don't want to lose you."

"Like you've lost mother?" he asked with the most monotone voice. The sheer way he said it -so detached- made her hand halt completely in mid brush.

Her hand lowered just as a wry smile came to her lips, "Yeah. Like I've lost your mother."

"But if I'm stronger then I'll be able to take care of myself. And that way you won't have to worry about losing me," he attempted. "I'll be able to face the world alone!" he called out with a grand smile. That he would be able to face the world alone reminded her of Kanda's words back then.

_"And no matter how much you want to shield it from the rest of the world, you know as well as me that it's bound to happen."_

How she hated how most of the times he was right about things. For sure he was right about Asutsuo. She couldn't shield him from the world forever. He would have to learn to live outside stone walls. This wouldn't be the same as her, trapped for years behind the walls of a past she yearned for but was better off forgotten. She still needed to break those walls that kept her in. Him, on the other hand, was free to wander just as long as the walls were brought down.

She patted his head and smiled wholeheartedly. "If you want to so badly, I don't see what's wrong with letting you from now on."

"Are you for reals?" he asked baffled by her sudden change of heart.

"Just promise me that you'll train first. With whoever is fine. Just be sure to be ready for the outside world. I'm not gonna lie. It's a dangerous and cruel place out there," Celia said rather sourly.

"But mommy and daddy came from that world right?" he inquired childishly while tilting his head to the side. "It couldn't be such a bad place if such good people came from it."

Celia's eyes widened at his comment. It was from the most innocent mindset and yet it made sense to her. It couldn't be all bad if people like Kanda, Allen, Lenalee, Lavi and all the others had come from it. There was hope in the mayhem that was this world after all. She gave him a small smile, "I guess you're right, bucko."

"It's cause I'm smart!" Asutsuo perked up with a grand smile and his eyes sparkling. His expression changed into one of bewilderment. "Why did you hit me?"

"Huh?" Celia's voice sounded confused and shocked. "I didn't hit you."

"You're hand tapped against me just no- ah! There you go again!" he called surprised looking behind his back. "You're touching me!" Asutsuo got off from her lap and watched her hand that now laid in his place. Celia watched closely not having felt that she moved her arm. But after a few seconds nothing happened.

"See it wasn't me," Celia retorted.

"But I'm not lying! I felt you tap me!" he said crying to be believed.

"It's okay. Maybe I did accidentally or something," Celia said waving her hand away and getting up. "Are you going to eat?"

"Yeah," he said walking up to the door. Celia opened it and briefly saw the white envelope.

She turned to him, "You did't read it?"

"Nope. It said if you didn't come back to read it. You came back. I don't need it anymore," he said with a smile and skipping to the dinning hall. Celia smiled and grabbed the letter but was surprised when her hand gave a sudden jerk making her drop it. WIth the jerk she'd hit her hand on the door frame. She noticed then that her left hand wouldn't stop it's shaking. It was miniscule and she couldn't see it unless she stayed really still but it was there, she couldn't ignore it.

And the worst of all was that she wasn't doing that. It was moving by itself.

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><p><strong>Tun-tun-tun! D:<strong>

**JK :9 how was it? Well next time we'll see what's going on with her freaky hand!**

**Please review!**


	40. Retrace XXXVIII

**Peoples~ I'm good to go! Wana know why~ ;)**

***First I'm already planning for my new KH story since I'm all pumped up about KH:3D coming out this month! XD  
>*Second, for all my readers on my other DGM story, WD:RD, another chapter will be up just as soon as the scans for the new chapter of DGM come out. :D I love this story and will never drop it for the love of what's good in this world :] I have a great thing for the next chapter so wait for it~ ;D<br>*And third This story's getting a... NOT TELLING YOU~ X9 I mean I will once this one ends. But I'm pretty sure some of you already can guess what it'd be. Well since I'm telling you guys in the end that must be a give away right? ;9**

**Also thanks to these people:  
>-to I'm Plotting Something Evil for the countless reviews for the chapters read. You're up to date now. Congrats~<br>-and to Chester-Grey for the story alert and review!**

**Well anyway how about we go into what you've been waiting for~ :"D Let's get going!**

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXVIII: The Beginning of the Final Trial<strong>

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><p>"He said that if you're still planning on going to missions now that repercussion has started," Lily spoke in behalf of Marcus who laid ill in his room.<p>

Becuase of a certain occurrance that took place no more than ten minutes before Lily came to be in Celia's room, Celia wasn't speaking to Marcus anymore.

Celia ignored her for a second but decided to answer just as she threw in a few things for the trip to their next mission. All Exorcists from headquarters were being sent to seperate corners of the world because of the sudden concentration and conduct of Akuma. Too many and too strong were gathering and they needed to be stopped before any further damage was done. Celia had been assigned to the control group in Jordan. It was barely three in the afternoon but they were being sent there right away because of the time it would take to get there. After all the Gate would only get them so far.

"Yeah. I'm not going to stop my work just because I'm missing some nerves on my hand," she snapped at Lily who didn't flinch at her violent outstreak.

"They're not missing. Those nerves were completelysevered from having contact with your brain's command center. It seems the virus has began to demand more from your already weakening body," Lily informed her based on her studies on the subject. "The more demand it yearns, the more damaged you'll become. Dr. Marcus said that it won't be long before it eats away everything. And then you'll..."

"Die." Lily lowered her gaze keeping her from looking at Celia. "Don't worry. I'm sorta prepared if anything comes to happen. I've cleared my business with Atsu."

"Will you clear it with Dr. Marcus?" she asked hopeful. "We all know he doesn't have much time left now. He's your uncle."

"He is no uncle of mine." Her harsh comment made Lily stare at her in disdain. "So I am not obligated to do anything for him."

"He thought of you as his niece, treated you as his own daughter. Does that not count in the slightest?" Lily asked in disbelief.

Celia closed her suitcase with a forceful slam. She turned to Lily, "Perhaps it does. But he's done nothing but lied to me. He knew about the Evernly Family's secret; he knew about the second generation's past. I'm tired of being seen as a mere fool. I'm not taking pity just because he's dying."

She took the suitcase and walked out of the room with Lily close behind. "But still! He did for you so much trying to amend! Doesn't that count!"

"His father, Arthur, was the one with the sick idea of using those orphans, run aways, or give aways as his lab rats. Marcus followed suit in his father's footsteps. Only difference is that Marcus did it out of regret by saving us. Oh well, he's not getting pity from me," she called and sped up getting to the Ark's Gate room. Lily stayed behind but only for a second before leaving to tend to Marcus like she had always had.

For argument's sake, let's go back a few steps. As it turns out, Cecilia's journal contained a lot more than just mere childish notes. Hopeless things like how she wished she could die tore Celia's heart. And yet the one entry in the last page was what changed it all.

_I'm getting out. I'm finally getting out. Not only me but Alex and Evie too. The doctors said that I was finally behaving well enough to be adopted. A man with gold hair and blue eyes came in that day. He said that he was going to be our new father, Alex's, Evie's and mine. We're so different though. Alex and Evie are both blond like him but Alex's eyes are brown, Evie's are green. I'm the one off in that trio. Dark brown hair, red eyes. I'm sick and tired of being the one out of place. But I guess that's why Noir chose me to talk to. I guess that's why that black cube was in my bed the night before. When I cupped it in my hands it suddenly turned to black water. I felt tempted because it was teasing me to drink it. I did and next thing I knew I could hear Noir inside my head and see his shadow in mine. _

_I haven't told Father about Noir. I don't think he needs to know, Noir told me so too. He said that man was only using me and adopted me as an excuse to have further contact with me. I wonder for what? Could it be because of the liquid the doctors kept injecting me?_

_Always I could hear the doors opening and bodies being dragged out. Guess some kids got too sick from that thing. I wonder, too, were we the only ones left alive? I love Evie and Alex a lot but I really want to go home still._

_I'm going to leave this here in case my dad comes looking for me. With this he'll know where to come find me. The name of the one who adopted me will help you a lot, dad. His name is Arthur. Arthur Evernly. And from now on my name's Cecilia Evernly. _

Celia couldn't believe when she had read that page. As it turned out A.C.E. weren't even real siblings. They were just the handful that had survived the inital stages of the virus. Becuase of their success they were chosen by Arthur for further experimentation. In short, Celia's family was nothing more than a hand pick of people who were chosen because they survived only to live their own hell on Earth. Another thing she found out was how her parents met. Both were 'orphans' from Wish House. They met eachother there. A couple of years after Celia got adopted, according to Marcus, Kingsley appeared back into their lives claiming to have escaped the water prison from Wish House.

She sighed trying to relax unable to. That wasn't really the only reason why she was pissed though. She'd been late to hear about them but she was also greatly angered by the Third Exorcists. Not because of them but because of what they were. They were made half-Akuma and forced to join this fight that Exorcists were already bound to by cruel, jestful fate. They say they came in willingly but Celia knew that was bull. After all who would willingly go through the things they've all gone through. All just because they were 'chosen by God'.

* * *

><p>"What's this?" Celia inquired looking at the package the Finder had given them all. Currently they were riding a train to the capitol and head to the camp from there. In one room were Allen, Link, Celia, and Kanda while in another where the other three Third Exorcists.<p>

"Becuase of your location it will be more appropriate attire than the usual uniform. In that desert it reaches over one hundred twenty degrees during the day. The night's not so much but still is about ninety. These are more suitable for the weather here as they are for combat," he explained.

"Cool," Celia said taking hers out. At seeing it Allen flinched, Kanda only glared as always, and Celia smirked triumphantly. "Sexy, huh? I like it."

"A-Are you sure?" Allen asked a little flustered by it.

"Hey, if I'm going to tan, Imma do it in style," she stood up and walked out of the room to change. Once inside a private room, she took the heavy garments off and replaced them with the ones they had given them for this mission. That's when she took a closer look at her left hand. The center of the palm and a bit beyond the wrist were starkly red as if the skin had fallen over night and the blood and muscle were surfaced. It seemed to be the virus corroding her skin. Maybe's that's why Kingsley bandaged himself and why his arm was so red as well.

Black shorts with a brown belt that could handle Xiao's weight. Dark brown boots that came up to her knees plus a couple of pouches for her belt that carried her first-aid medical supplies and another for the box with the serum -as useless as it seemed now it calmed her pain from the continuous rebound. She got black gloves with great grip. Before putting them on, though, she bandaged her left palm and the wrist corroded areas to hide them. They didn't need to know everything that happened to her. Not anymore. Not when it didn't matter what anybody did anymore cause it wouldn't help her any longer.

Celia put the top on and noticed why Allen was so flusttered when he saw it. It wasn't even a top according to Celia. She thought of it more like a bikini top with a wrapped design for the straps. Once everything on she had to admit that she hadn't really given a thought to what the training did to her body. In a good way it got rid of a lot of useless fat and gave muscle instead. All in all she looked well toned for a girl. That's when she noticed that the belt was useful enough to keep her shorts from showing a bit of her v line.

"Damn," she hissed trying everything to keep them up but unable to. "Shit." She sighed in frustration and simply put the cloak over her shoulders and walked back to the room and saw that the boys were all dressed and ready. "Well aren't you quick."

Allen took one look and turned away for modesty's sake. Celia noticed this and became a bit angered by his childish attitude, "Walker, I'm a woman not a child. You're not a kid either. You can look if you want meaning you don't have to look away. But, then again, I do have a bigger rack than Lena's so-"

"Are you out of your mind? That's not true!" he shouted at her face, his own all reddened in embarrasment. When a smirk crept to her lips and that's when Allen caught what he'd say and was a bright red.

"So you do check her out, huh?" Celia teased.

"I-I-I wouldn't-" he stuttered giving it all away.

"Don't bother trying to cover this up. It's out in the open now. But don't worry, you're a hormonal sixteen-year-old derp. Of course you're gonna check out girls you like, it's natural," she said patting his head and leaving him red-faced to sit down next to Link.

Celia found her sit next to Kanda and crossed her legs while looking out the window with her hands on either side of her. "How much longer?"

"Thirty minutes," Link answered not wanting for her to start a tantrum like she did on the way to Paris. "After that we'll head to camp and seperate in groups from there."

"Camcorder-kun," Celia teased staring at Link who puffed up mad.

"What did you call me?"

"Do you know those Third Exorcists?" the question brought Link's rampage to a halt which answered Celia's question loud and clear. "Care to share?"

"I have nothing to say to the likes of you," Link spat out.

"Likes of me, huh?" she sighed and threw her head back in resignation. "Guess I am in a different category now more than ever." She chuckled and turned to Kanda, "Comfy?"

"What?" he asked confused by the sudden comment.

"The uniform. Mine's good except for the short's that keep falling past my-"

"It's fine." He clearly didn't want to hear her say it. "Why are you making such stupid conversations with everyone?"

"I hate to be quiet."

He scoffed, "Besides that."

"I'm tired of people being so depressed. I'm wanna see you guys smiling one more time, at least," she mumbled to herself the last part. She took out a great breath, "But let's talk about something more interesting?" She stared at Allen who only blinked twice before shouting annoyed.

"What?"

"Fess up. You like Lenalee," Celia smirked mischievously.

"Would you cut it out already!"

"Don't worry." She called giving him a thumbs up. "I'll take Komui off your back. Go for it, young grasshopper."

"Celia!"

* * *

><p>He stood there hooded in the middle of the night, in the middle of the manor. He'd snuck into her room while she was in the shower room. He saw it there sitting on a crystal square. A small red crystal sphere.<p>

_"I must be insane."_ His hand quickly swiped the crystal ball and ran out through the window out of the estate. Once in the garden he walked slower ready to create the portal to go to where she was.

"Leaving so soon?" he looked up to see Prometheus.

"She has no further use for me. I no longer am held in her strings."

Prometheus chuckled, "You think because they supposedly cured Ammit that they can do the same with you? Do you think they'll accept you after all you've done?"

He fisted his hand where the crystal ball was, "I know she will. She always did."

"Infatuation kills, my friend. Much more if it's such a fake one like yours," Prometheus assured him. "She doesn't even remember you."

"She will," he said with confidence creating a portal behind him. "I'll see to it that she does." He leaped back and escaped through it.

Prometheus shrugged his shoulders, "Ammit was weak but I guess you are much weaker than she was."

* * *

><p>"Why the fuck did he get to leave?" Celia asked getting up from her sit inside the tent.<p>

"Following orders," Kanda said already outside. "Thing you should learn to do."

She scoffed in indignation, "I know how to follow orders. I just don't like to. It's two different things. Talking about different, why'd you stay behind?" The question was directed to Link who was with the remaining Third Exorcist who hadn't left with Allen. The female one, Celia belived her name was Tewaku.

"I have my reason."

"Ugh, men," she scowled and headed for the upper side of the rocks that mounted to a small hill. "It's barely one but it's freaking hot outside."

"Hey. Sitting duck, get off there," Kanda called to her.

"See, that's an order. I just chose to ignore it," Celia said turning to him and giving her back to the outside.

That's when a Level 3 came from nowhere behind her. Kanda noticed and gritted his teeth, "Watch out!"

Celia ducked just in time to avoid the attack and kick the Akuma in it's abdomen and send it flying up. Unsheathing Xiao she reluctantly cut the machine in half making it explode. Landing safely Kanda made his way up to the hill that overlooked the outsid of the camp. That's when he unsheathed Mugen prepared to fight the hoards of Level 3s that were coming towards the camp.

"We're here to guard then," Celia said understanding their stay.

"Pretty much," Kanda said with a sigh of annoyance.

Celia cocked her head to face the camp. Her voice was calm and orderly, "Link! Level 3s, a bunch. They're coming this way!" He only went to alert the rest of the camp. "Wanna play?"

"I don't have time for games," he called.

"Okay then. Geez, no need to be so pessimistic about it," she snorted.

Both waited until the Akuma threatened to come anywhere near close to the camp to attack. They could leave it up to so far. Celia heard from behind her the sound of the seals that the Third Exorcist, Tewaku, had placed.

She grinned, "Look Xiao. Looks like you'll be having a feast today. Just don't take so damn long on draining each one, would ya?" The eye opened and looked around. When it spotted the Akuma coming it widened and closed again invoking itself in Celia's hands. "Mmh, you look hungry too."

"Let's go," Kanda told her as both went ahead to fight.

Celia didn't have any troubles with the Level 3s. It was the amount of them that seemed to begin to overwhelm her being by herself. She could hear Link from her wireless communicator on her ear, something they had been given for this mission. Navi still, however, flew rapidly by her side following her around. Link was calling out for Allen to return to camp but the beansprout wouldn't answer back.

"They're all out of reach Link," she called after beheading a Level 3 and stabbing another. "Navi's got a larger range but not even she can get through them."

That's when a pounding took over her head almost making her miss slashing another Akuma. This feeling... this blood thirst. She'd felt it before... back in the Ark. Back when she saw...

"We've got trouble back here," he announced.

"Coming," Celia called and arrived minutes later to find people killed. Bleeding from every orifice of their bodies. How, she thought, it was so well protected.

The pounding was getting stronger the more she moved into the camp. Finally she found a section of the camp still protected by seals and saw the Third Exorcist there.

"Tewaku," she called getting the young girl's attention.

"The other Master Disciple's still away but that man's still killing the Finders," she told her just when Celia came over the hills to see what she was talking about. More people killed the same way, every orifice bleeding out. And there, standing, was a man with dark toned skin and five eyes.

A Noah. No wonder her head began to pound. Albus' old instincts had begun to reactivate again. He wanted to kill the Noah as it was on its nature. That's when Kanda got there after slashing away a Level 3 and saw the same thing that she had.

"Kanda," she mumbled going close to him and facing the enemy by his side.

"Are you Kanda Yu?" the man asked glancing about. Anywhere but towards them.

"Who the hell are you?" Kanda called before anything else.

"Alma. Does that name ring a bell?"

"That's the name..." Celia mumbled to herself and looked at Kanda who's eyes had widened in surprise.

"Seems like it does," he said with a smirk and looked directly at Kanda. "Your brain. We'll be using it for our party." In the span of a second his eyes bled tears and his head was crushed making his hairtie break and making him unconscious.

"Kanda!" she shouted in utter control getting down to him and seeing only his bleak eyes. "Kanda! Kanda! Answer me!"

"Don't feel sorry little Apocryphos," he spoke to her. She turned to him with rage in her eyes and a scowl on her expression. "Fierce. It's not only your nature that's inclining you to kill me but the fact that I just hurt him too. But don't worry, you too are needed for this party. Who else would make the best breaking point of the two other than their best friend and the same person they care so much about."

The pounding in her head stopped altogether and was replaced by the immense pain in her head. It made one blow and took her breath away and split her head open on the inside. It felt like someone dropping the whole gravity of the Earth on her brain and letting it be squashed to nothing. Soon her body fell limp and her head hit the floor.

"Let's see how true you're words from back then are," he said getting deep into her brain before going on to destroy the rest of the camp. " 'Sometimes 'to want' isn't 'being able to' when one arrives behind time."

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><p><strong>So what you guys think of it? You like?<strong>

**Well, we're getting somewhere indeed. Next time we'll see for what party they want her as well.**

**Please review! **


	41. Retrace XXXIX

**Woohoo! For today I'm skipping thanks until next time~ :D  
>For now let's get to the real thing ~<strong>

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><p><strong>Retrace XXXIX: Falling Victim<strong>

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><p><strong>-Five Hours prior- <strong>

"You're going to a meeting?" Asutsuo repeated, rather confused at the action itself.

"Yes," Marcus answered giving off plenty of coughs as Lily helped him into a wheelchair. "Please remain here." He looked up to the blonde that stood beside the boy. "Please see that he remains here. Clara, was it?"

"Y-Yes," Clara, now completed back to normal cured from the virus' infection, tended for the young Evernly. It could've been worse had it not been for Celia. They wanted to execute the one known as Ammit. However, Celia stopped them saying that she couldn't do harm anymore for the power she had had left with the virus' eradication. "I will, Dr. Marcus."

"Good, good," he said with a wry smile and gave out a couple of dry coughs. The doors to his adobe opened as Reever, accompanied by Johnny, came in.

"Dr. Marcus, it's time to leave already," Reever said to him.

"Of course, I'm coming. Give some slack to this dying old man," he coughed out his optimisstic answer as Lily rolled him away to the sectoin leader of the science division.

"Please, take care of him," Lily said to him as Johnny took the wheelchair.

"We will," Reever answered for her and the three left for the Ark's Gates left the room quietly afterward having nothing more to do there.

"Asutsuo-sama," Clara called shyly holding him by the shoulders. "We should hurry and leave for lunch. We'll start with your training after that."

"Yeah," the three-year-old called and left followed by her 'assistant'. He had this weird feeling in his gut. His stomach turned in over itself the more he thought about it. What could it be?

"Here ya go Atsu-chan~!" Jerry called handing Asutsuo his usual lunch package.

Asutsuo stared at it with dreamy eyes and watery mouth. It must have been hunger that was turning his stomach upside-down. Yeah, surely. After all, what could possibly be the worst that his three-year-old senses could pick up?

* * *

><p>"He left pretty fast afterwards," Prometheus updated to the woman that now sat in the parlor of her balcony. He kneeled on one knee before her, always the most loyal of the three that served her. "Your orders, Madame."<p>

"As he specified, I no longer have a need for the First whislt I, too, no longer need the Second Fate's soul," the woman said with a harsh tone as she sipped her tea, her parlor covered by thin dark veils. She lowered her tea cup in thought, "Then again he might interfere with my attainance of the Third."

"Then allow me to retrieve her for you," Prometheus suggested.

"Very well, Prometheus."

He lowered his face, obscuring it, "And if I come across the traitor?"

"Dispose of him," she ordered and went back to drinking her afternoon tea.

"It will be my pleasure," Prometheus mumbled under his breath slipping through a vortex beneath him.

* * *

><p><em>Where...? <em>Celia's eyes fluttered open as she raised her upper body. Where was she? She'd blacked out when the Noah looked at her, her head felt like it had split open with immense force. She couldn't see well, all around her was just a blur.

"You awoke sooner than I expected."

She turned, her vision still a big blur, but came to focus on one person, the Noah that had attacked the camp and that had knocked her out. Her and...

"You certainly have a formidable mind. He hasn't even moved since I brought him here," Wisely commented turning his head to the lifeless body that laid on the glass surface, a small doll patting his head.

"K-Kanda...!" she mumbled in a hoarse voice looking at her unconscious comrade. She turned to Wisely only to glare at him.

"Scary." He smirked, "I can see your thoughts overwhelming your Innocence's. I wonder who's stronger, the you who's human or the you who's that indepedent Innocence?"

She got up hastily with Xiao in her hands but got caught when Sheril held her body still. "Now, pretty lass, where are your manners?"

"Fuck off," she hissed through greeted teeth. She struggled attempting to move and after seconds got her mere fingers to twitch.

"Why can she move?" Sheril inquired aloud curiously.

"She's not a human being," Wisely said looking at her from his place. "But then again neither is he." He stared down at Kanda and back at Celia.

"Celia Everlott, you've been dealing with the burden that had been your life for nine years. How does it feel to have the people responsible for your abominable life present before you?" His hand motioned over to his right as Celia followed it.

Her eyes widened at seeing him and hearing the coughs escape his mouth. "Marcus..." Not only him but the chiefs from the science division, Inspector Lveille, the swrodsmith Zhu, Chiefs Bak and Epstein. The Earl was the one that stood out the most of the five Noah present.

"C-Celia!" he coughed out violently unable to finish his sentence. "P-Please, forgive me."

Celia lowered her face, her hair shrouding her eyes, "What you did has no forgiveness."

"Such coldheartedness for a small girl," the Earl said with a chuckle. "How's this for a questionnaire then, who would you rather see live through. The boy you know as Allen Walker or the two friends that you love so much?"

"What?"

"You know Everlott," Wisely called getting her attention. "Memories aren't really forgotten. They are merely dormant deep within the heart ready to resurface when the right trigger appears. Once remembered, a long sleeping memory is hard to forget. It was hard digging through your mind for them, I admit. However it was all worthwhile." He smirked mischievously, "You want to remember so badly, don't you. But have you ever stopped to think the reason why you forgot in the first place?"

"Why...I forgot...?" Celia mumbled just to stare at Wisely with confusion. Sheril motioned his hand over and Celia's body closer to Wisely place. He made her kneel and be on all fours, her hands barely maintaining the distance between her and the glass pane. There she saw it for the first time, a boy that couldn't be much older than her laid asleep withing the confinements of water. Images came to her head in a rapid flashes. Images that clustered after one another and twined soon after making it all be a huge mess.

_"Don't listen to him."_ It was Albus. But why...why would he care if she remembered.

"No, shut up," she hissed at Wisely.

"Have you ever stopped to consider-" Kanda's hand suddenly twitched as he slowly regained consciousness his senses still a blur. "-that perhaps you forgot those things because you...wanted to?"

"No!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Ce..." her eyes glanced to her left and saw Kanda glancing down obliviously through the glass pane. He heard her voice, that's why he was about to say her name but got caught up at seeing the boy beneath their feet. He kneeled oblivious to his surroundings and only glancing down at the boy who remained dormant.

After the Earl's enthusiastic blurt a dark Gate appeared beneath where Sheril had been and out from it came Allen and Tykki came out with the first shouting out at him. Kanda stood only to glare down not hearing Allen when he spoke.

"A...llen..." Celia mumbled unable to speak loud or clear.

**_"How stupid of you."_**

Celia turned to Wisely again now able to control her body and and stood barely able to keep her footing. He was speaking to her through her mind.

_**"No one can save you now, Celia Everlott. No one can escape reality once it knocks on their door. And yours just opened and has gone passed the footstep."**_

"No," she mumbled. That's when she heard Allen's voice speaking words that weren't his. The 14th was speaking through him to th Earl. It shocked her but soon Allen regained his body by force as he thrashed and puked blood. She felt a sudden twist in her insides telling her to move. And to do so quickly and with stealth. Following it, she grabbed Xiao from the floor where it laid and dashed away towards Allen while Kanda had attempted to slash away at the Earl but was stopped by Tykki.

Celia ran alongside Allen as he picked up Tokusa who was in need of assistance. "W-Why are you-" Allen panted half the question out.

"Don't know so don't ask!" she called just as Kanda landed near them.

"Finally, you're okay," she panted skidding to a stop as did Allen.

"Kanda, you were able to move?" Allen called shocked.

"Got a problem with that?" Kanda spat out with his usual persona.

"Oh great," Celia mumbled as Allen talked back to him. As they ran towards the exit she felt a heavy pound on her chest, right on her heart.

"Celia!" Allen cried, concern clear in his voice. "Your mouth!"

"Shut up, I know!" she called wiping away at her mouth only to see blood smudged on her glove. Why was she bleeding again? Celia suddenly heard a ruckus from behind them and glanced back to see countless tubes coming up from beneath the floor. "What in the-" but the tubes won them to the exit blocking it completely. They turned about to see Sheril as the one who controlled the tubes.

According to them, they wre celebrating Allen's expulsion from the Black Order. That's when Celia spotted the same boy had been brought out into the surface held by tubes by the hands and feet. Allen inquired as to who that was and Tokusa answered. The name he spoke of was what took her by surprise.

"Did you just say Alma?" she called interrupting him while she glanced at him and then at Kanda.

"Yes, he's the man who was used as a test subject to create artificial apostles," Tokusa explained worrying Celia even more. "Just like Kanda Yu." But Kanda pulled his little act and asked who he was. The Noah were astonished at first as so were the others but Celia knew he was lying. He never just obliviously spoke about someone, he wasn't the one to do those sort of things.

Apparently, Road saw through his charade as well. "What're you saying~! It's Alma! The failure you killed nine years ago-!" But Kanda cut her talk short when he grabbed the rag doll by it's head with a deadly grip.

Celia saw the murderous intent in his eyes and could distinctively hear it in his voice when he spoke, "He's dead."

"But he survived." Road was seriously pushing her luck, Celia thought not feeling the murderous intent fade but intensify instead. She kept talking and talking as if testing his 'forgetfulness'. And finally he snapped squashing her head in his hand, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see Alma?" The doll fell to the ground without it's head but it still spoke, "Perhaps, the woman that made you slit Alma... does she have anything to do with this?"

That's when he completely snapped losing the last shread of sanity he held. He wouldn't stabbed Road with Mugen had it not been for Allen who grabbed the blade with his left hand stopping it from doing anything rash. Not only did he but so did Celia. By letting go of Xiao, at the same time that Allen had gone for the blade, she grabbed Mugen's hilt with both hands covering Kanda's.

"Don't do anything stupid," she hissed having a hard time even with Allen holding the sword shakily in place.

"Celia's right. You have to calm down, Kanda," Allen hissed being the one who was putting the most effort on stopping him. "You know an attack like this won't affect Road. Don't let them provoke you! Those guys are plotting something against you! We need to safe all the ones that've been captured! All you need to think about is-"

"Fine. If you can't believe it's Alma then~" Just when Road paused the image of an eye appeared beneath the three. "Let Alma, himself, prove it to you~"

Celia couldn't look away from it, even when Tokusa had shouted for Allen to not look at it. Soon she couldn't hear anybody or feel anything. It was all just darkness.

* * *

><p>"I'm surprised though," Wisely called after the little verbal brawl of his imcompetence with his family and his harsh talk with Zhu. "Her memories are the first stage to go through but she seems to be fighting against me."<p>

"It's her subconscious." The Noahd turned to see a vortex appear as Janus came forth. "It won't be unlocked that easily. She and I worked too hard nine years ago to make sure of that."

"Janus Evernly," the Earl called heartily. "What a vulture."

"Janus?" Marcus called confused. "What's the meaning of this!"

"Don't sweat it old man," Janus called looking at his surroudings. Too many to fight by himself. Even if he called Lost Souls, Level Four Akuma couldn't be infected that easily. He doubted that Noah could be easy to infect too. "I only came to retrieve her."

Tykki charged at him with Janus barely able to block the hardened arm of his with his own. "Sadly, she's part of our little carnival right now. She won't be going anywhere."

"You're not making her remember," he hissed sending Tykki back. The span of a second gave him enough time to sprint right before Celia and the other three.

He was about to take her when his body stopped listening. _I knew it had been way too easy._ He tried fighting against Sheril's control with his own telekinesis. But it tired him too much since he was using the vortexes to much. Create by him, they exhausted him the farther he traveled. Sheril finally won him over and thrashed him against the upper part of the wall were everybody else was captured. He coughed out blood but Sheril didn't give him time to recover as he began to hit him against everything else.

"This is fun. It's like playing with a rag doll," Sheril smirked.

"Stop," the Earl ordered. Sheril looked puzzled but nonetheless halted and brought the boy close to Tykki and the Earl. "You're an Apocryphos as well."

Janus smirked broadly, his bloody lips countered his confidence. "Figured it already old fart?" Janus looked up, "I found out how to take control. Thanatos is no longer here. He is a part of me, not the other way around. And right now, Master's has given me an order."

"Master?" Tykki spoke.

"Aprocryphos live to protect one person. They fought alongside him seven thousand years ago," the Earl called. "The Heart's lackeys."

"The Heart?" Lveille hissed the same thing all the others present thought.

"Guess what old man," Janus called to the Earl. "Doesn't matter if it's you or Neah Walker who's the Millenium Earl. Master has given his order. He wants his loyal ones to rejoin him by his side for the final tide."

Tykki scowled and hardened his arm once more. "Let me do the honors," he hissed placing his hand behind Janus' back and next to his neck ready to behead him.

"Don't," the Earl said surprising him. He motioned for Sheril to take him. Sheril followed his orders and pushed Janus once more against the wall and left him there to dangle. "For the time being let him live. It appears that the Heart has already began to move on his end when he saw what we were doing. Let him live to see the little Apocryphos girl awaken."

"Bastard..." Janus hissed through gritted teeth.

"Say what you will," the Earl called. "But you will see what befalls those who fight alongisde him against me."

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><p><strong>A bit shorter than usual but it's interesting~ -w-<strong>

**Next time we peek a little into Celia's brain and see what we find! XD**

**Please review~**


	42. Retrace XL

**We're getting THERE. People! Finally getting There! **

**Thanks to the people who read this story~ I love you all~**

**Now let's get to it~ :D**

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><p><strong>Retrace XL: Reminiscence<strong>

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><p>"Are you all right?" Alice asked the little Celia for the umpteenth time that day.<p>

"Yeah," she answered back a little out of it but there nonetheless. "I'm okay."

They were walking about the premises of the 6th laboratory. They had been born but a month ago and they didn't know anything of the place other than they were born there and that they would live there. Professor Edgar, whom they liked because of his niceness towards them, was who tended to them of his own accordance. Meanwhile Dr. Marcus would only see them if they needed to be taken to the 'sick room'.

Celia hated that place. The only times they were taken to the sick room was when they needed to be tested. They poked her with a needle and drew blood. Alice was luckily, she got it once every once in a while. Celia wasn't so much for she had to go there once a week. That morning had been one of those times. No wonder Alice kept asking her if she was alright.

"Are you sure?" she kepted nagging at her.

"I'm fine, Alice. Let's go meet up with Alma. He's probabbly waiting for us to eat lunch," Celia said taking a run for it and followed closely by her younger sibling. Once in the dinning hall the twins saw their one and only friend in the whole place.

Alma had been the one who'd woken them up when they were born. Celia knew this because he'd heard his voice from beneath that peaceful water. He was talking to them. Talking about how lonely he was because it was only himself. At his words, Celia had opened her eyes and everything fell on as they were born that day, surfaced from the water.

Although Dr. Marcus had promised to take care of them, it was mostly Professor Edgar who taught them how to speak properly and taught them how to read and everything a real parent would have taught them. He already had a kid so he was exprienced. Celia and Alice liked him a lot and were attached to him like children would be to their father.

"Here try some!" Alma called putting a good amount of mayonaise on Alice's plate. "It's really good!"

"Let's see," Alice said as she tried a spoonful. She smiled with the spoon in her mouth, "It's good."

"See! Try some too, Celia!" Alma encouraged the younger girl.

"No thanks. I'm good," the little girl said with a sigh. "I don't like how it tastes."

"Really?" Alma said putting it aside and getting a mouthful of his own food. Swallowing it he spoke again noticing the bandaid around on the inside of her elbow. "You went to the sick room today again?"Celia nodded but denied any other answer for she took a bite of her pancakes. "Is that why you're all mopey?"

"Isn't she?" Alice asked having someone finally see what she saw.

"I'm not mopey," Celia finally snapped getting mad at their constant nagging.

"Hey," Alma called after finishing his food quite fast. "I have to go train after this. Wanna spar with me?"

"Sure," Celia said sighing and glad that he got out of the subject.

Once in the training grounds where Alma was told to practice, Celia and Alma went over to the center. It was obvious to her that the scientists would always watch through the one way mirror. She could feel their constant gazes.

"Ready?" Alma called with a grin.

"Come at me," Celia offered and they began.

On the other side of the glass, both Dr. Marcus and Sarinz Esptein observed the battle.

"It's impressive how your niece can actually uphold a fight with a Second," Esptein called rather amazed.

"They're bodies have been growing at spontaneous rates. However the things that are constant are their mental and physical prowess. Celia more than Alice. Perhaps the virus bestowed it's benefits on her," Marcus called.

"Could that virus be used on others?" Sarinz inquired.

"You're a foolish man, Sarinz. None of us wanted the virus fused into us. It was something forced upon us. Many children died because they weren't compatible or strong enough to sustain it's power. Normal human beings were too weak. Accomodators such as my sister and Kingsley were barely able to withstand the rebounds the virus causes to Innocence-users. The Progenitor Virus is a dangerous bio-weapon that shouldn't be used," Marcus exclaimed in all seriousness.

"A danger without risk wouldn't be considered a danger in the first place, Alexander," Sarinz explained. "There will be risks involved always. That virus seems to be a great weapon created by your father. It boosts physical and mental prowess and enhances the human senses. From the blood tests, it can also enhance healing abilities plus it magnifies the abilities of a single person. Celia's mental abilities are superb, she learns things from sight. Once seen she records it and thus is able to perform the action. Alice's don't fall as far behind as you think either. She is able to decipher codes and can fully comprehend problems that took the scientists years of studies to reach. They are highly adaptable to any change. Their physical power is almost equal to Alma's. They seem to be perfect in every way."

"You say they seem because you know the downside of being infected," Marcus said covering his wrists with his lab coat. "It seems that of what it gives in power it takes back with the years. I have survived so long because of the Order's extensive cares. It shaves countless of years from a life. These two, I doubt they will live to become adults much less grow old."

"Without the source of Progenitor a vaccine can't be created," Sarinz said analyzing every angle. "There wasn't anything in Arthur's notes either?"

"My father only researched the effects it had not a way to cure it," Marcus explained. "For now all I can do is study them and see who is the first one to fall under the effects. That one will be a great source of information and will take me a step closer to finding a cure. The more I know about how it affects the human body the easier."

"You would sacrifice their lives to do it?" Edgar called coming in on the conversation.

"You have no say in this," Marcus called coldheartedly.

"They're your nieces!" Edgar called motioning his hand over to the window where the three were. "Even if they're not your true kin, they are the daughters of the friend you lived with. You and Cecilia were a family joined together. Even if blood doesn't join you, it doesn't change who they are to you. They're just little girl's for goodness sake! How can you use them for something like research!"

"It's for their own good, Edgar," Sarinz intervened. "Either way they will die at a young age."

"You're not getting my point." Edgar stormed off and towards the training room. Sarinz and Marcus saw as Edgar took away the two girls along with Alma.

"He doesn't understand the value your research will have if we ever use the virus on the battlefield," Sarinz said after he was gone.

"You're still on that," Marcus called.

"You need a clean source without muttations but that had time being exposed, don't you?" Sarinz commented. "Don't you still have that boy in your custody?"

* * *

><p>Days passed since then. Celia changed her own clothes while Edgar changed Alice into hers. She liked taking baths specially because Edgar played with them. She got her black dress on while Alice got her white one put on her. A couple of flower crowns -red and white- were on the stand which Celia picked up. A pair of colored sandals the same as their dresses, Edgar clapped finished.<p>

"There. All clean now," he said with his usual smile.

"Where's Alma?" Alice asked tilting her head.

"Yeah. He's usually nagging at us by now," Celia added the imprudent comment.

"Alma is..." Edgar couldn't possibly tell them about the synchronization tests that were being performed to him. Twi would kill him if he even mentioned it. He squated before them, "Alma's in a sick room."

"Is he getting blood taken too?" Celia asked with a shiver. How she hated needles.

"Not exactly," Edgar said. "His sick room is a place were he works really hard to get to know something."

"Get...to know?" the twins spoke simultaneously.

"Don't worry. He'll be fine. Branch Chief Twi's looking over him," Edgar assured them. "Why don't you girls go walk around. Just don't get lost, all right?"

"Yes!" the two called as Alice clung to Celia's arms.

Five minutes later; "Where are we?" Celia spoke up, her voice echoing in the stone walls. Both looked around to see anything remotely familiar. Alice was the one who let go first and follow what she saw, "Look a black bird!"

"W-Wait, Alice!" Celia called following her sister but she lost her soon after through the maze that was the underground Asian Branch. "Oh no." She walked aimlessly around holding tightly to the flower crowns. Those had been made by Edgar. He showed them how with the red one. Celia did the white one while Alice failed to do a blue one and so threw it away. She couldn't believe she'd actually done what she was told not to.

That's when she saw her breath come out in a white visible puff. She could see it. She noticed then the flesh on her arms and legs begin to get goosebumps. It was cold. And the more she kept walking the colder it was getting. Soon she walked through a pair of stone columns. There she saw it, a huge shrine with numerous holes on the floor which were filled with water.

She walked up to one of them and saw a kid's body curled in a ball under the water with tiny bubbles steadily coming up from it. If it coule breathe then it was alive. But Celia was confused, how could a human breath underwater. Fish could do that because they had gills, she knew because she read about it. But human's didn't have gills to do that.

She knelt before the edge of the hole and looked down. It was a kid alrightw with long dark hair. Unlike hers, this one's was probably black.

How peaceful they looked sleeping there. But they also looked very lonely just being there. She got the red garland and plucked a small bloom from it and laid it gently on the water getting her hand wet. She watched the bloom swiftly sway to the middle. One of the bubbles that rose from the body burst right under it moving it a bit.

Celia giggled, "You're welcome."

"Celia?" At hearing someone's voice she quickly got up and turned around to see Professor Edgar there.

"P-Professor? I'm sorry. We got lost and Alice got seperated from me. I ended up here trying to look for her," she babbled on.

"What are you talking about?" Alice said popping from behind Professor Edgar's leg. "I went chasing a bird and when it disappeared you weren't behind me. You're the one that got lost."

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"It's okay just don't go wandering so deep in anymore," Edgar said peacefully taking them away.

By then it was already night. Neither had seen Alma all day.

"Do you think he's alright?" Alice asked Celia once they had gotten tucked in for bed. They slept together and always faced eachother while holding hands.

"He sure is. He's a stubborn nut, that Alma," Celia said with a reassuring smile. That's when it popped into her mind, "You said you got lost because you were chasing a bird this afternoon?"

"Yeah. It was pretty and black and had red eyes," Alice said with a yawn. "But when I got to it, it just vanished like nothing." Another yawn and Alice was soundly asleep. Celia couldn't believe that. After all they were underground. How could a bird find it's way so deep under the surface?

* * *

><p>Months went by the two again. Alma was being more and more absent by the days. The twins noticed that when he would disappear one whole day, the next he would always be bandaged from head to toe and would rest for a good day or two. Then for a good week he would be the same old Alma until the cycle would repeat again.<p>

Celia wondered if the bandages had anything to do with his stay in his sick room. If they did then that meant that they hurt him in that place. All she got were blood taken and that hurt and needed a little bandaid. What could Alma be going through to damage him that bad?

Today was one of Alma's full absentee days. Celia and Alice were in the training room playing with a ball, throwing it back and forth. Usually Celia and Alma would spar with Alice cheering them on. Without Alma their playtime somehow wasn't as fun.

Celia threw the ball at Alice but was surprised when her sister failed to catched it. Instead it rolled away just as Alice fell to her knees holding her chest and began to cough violently.

More alarmed than ever, Celia ran to Alice yelling her name in concern. She got down on her knees beside her and kept asking what's wrong. Alice could only cough out the answer. She kept coughing and coughing so much that Celia thought she would choke. But just then Alice vomited out a sluggish black thing. It writhe as if struggling to breath and then it curled up on its side and shriveled up before hardening.

Seconds after Edgar and Dr. Marcus came rushing in with a couple of scientists. Edgar took Celia away from Alice just as the two they brought placed Alice in a stretcher.

"Take her to the observation room," Dr. Marcus ordered them.

Celia was seeing them leave with her and couldn't keep quiet. "Where are you taking her? What's wrong with her?" She thrashed and struggled to get free, "Tell me what's wrong with Alice!" She kept struggling and throwing a tantrum in Edgar's arms. Marcus had long left to see what had happened to Alice.

Branch Chief Twi came quickly after being informed by Rennie about it. She came to her husband's aid and looked down at the troubled girl, "Celia, what's the matter?"

"T-They took her!" she bawled out getting over fighting her way out and crying it instead. "They won't tell me where and they just took her away! I want to go with her! P-Please!"

"Here," Twi said with a sigh giving the clipboard to Edgar and picking Celia's crying figure up.

"What are you going to do?" he asked perplexed.

"Taking her to her room so she can rest?" Twi gave her only answer and left with the crying girl in her arms. Finally there, Twi placed the girl down on her bed. She was still hiccuping and could hardly breath from crying so hard. "Celia, this isn't just because of what happened to your sister, is it?" Celia flinched a bit but Twi continued, "You've been upset lately have you not?"

"A-Alice was getting very sleepy very fast even when she slept through whole nights," Celia sobbed. "Other times she would wake up in the middle of the night gasping and crying. She's getting sick, isn't she? Is she going to get into a sick room like Alma?"

"Sick room? What makes you think that?" Twi asked confused.

"Professor Edgar told us that Alma was in the sick room," Celia said being able to hold her breath until she sobbed at the end of the sentence. "Will she be in a sick room too?"

Twi pursed her lips but stroke her head letting her cry out her worry for her sister. "She's really sick. You have to understand that. But I promise you we'll do whatever is in our hands to help her get better."

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><p>That was the last day Celia ever got to see Alice face-to-face. Alice was kept under observation by Dr. Marcus' orders. What had happened, according to Marcus, was that Alice had reacted negatively to the virus and her body was beginning to counterattack her body. Back then it there was very little known about the nature of the virus. Marcus didn't have any help for the little girl. She would have stomachaches and huge headaches. She wasn't allowed whatsoever to exit that sick room. Alice was sick of being sick and alone.<p>

Celia, on the other hand, had everybody trying to cheer her up since then. They were telling her how it would be alright. How Alice would soon get better and they would get to play together again. Alma would try to cheer her up as well when he got out from his own sick room. But it was like their words went through one ear and exited through the other. Celia was sick of being conforted and having people around her.

_"There's a way to change places."_ It was a man who spoke to Celia. It had started one night out of nowhere. That morning he had spoken again. _"She doesn't like to be alone. You don't like to be around people. Without her you're nothing, without you she's nothing. But what if you two could change places."_

"How?" she sniffed after crying that night. It was going to be sunrise by then.

_"Would you like me to show you how?" _

She nodded vigorously. "I want to see her. I want to talk to her. Please take me to her."

_"Then so be it. You two will be able to exchange souls into each other's bodies. This one thing you can do, once this is done, she will be able to as well."_ A snicker came to her ears, _"Ready?"_

"Just do it!"

Right at her word she felt the tug on her body as she was dragged to an empty space. A dark space with no floor or no cieling. It was just empty and dark. She stood there, Alice, and opened her eyes and stared shocked seeing Celia there. They ran to each other and hugged crying from happiness of seeing one another after not being able to for so long.

"H-How's this possible?" Alice inquired confused but happy once they finished their hug.

"A friend showed me how to do this. You can do this too. Just call to me. I'll be able to hear you and we'll exchange places," Celia explained.

"Exchange?"

"You'll be in my body, free. I'll stay in yours, in quietness. You'll have what you want and I'll have what I want," Celia called with a smile. "But it'll only be for half a day. When the clock strikes six we'll be forced back to our own bodies."

"So every day at six in the morning...?" Alice said getting it.

"We'll change with one another. You'll live outside as me, I'll live in there in peace as you. And we'll be able to see eachother everytime we change places," Celia said wiping her tears away.

"Okay, I trust you," Alice said.

"We'll keep doing this until you get better and we can see eachother," Celia promised. "So until then. This will happen, all right?"

"Yeah," Alice said. Two frames of a couple doors appeared; one a silver color, the other a white color. "Which one?"

"Go through the silver. I'll head to your body through the white. We'll see eachother today afternoon," Celia said and let go of her.

Alice nodded and headed towards the solver frame. Once she was gone the frame disappeared. Celia took the white frame and sank deep into a hole.

When she finally opened her eyes she could see the white sheets and a pillow from a bed. She had been sleeping. She touched her face and felt it was wet. Alice had been crying. She looked straight ahead and saw the mirror. It'd worked, the girl she saw before him had white hair but had her amethyst eyes. That must be what that man had said about how Celia would be inside her. The body would be the same but the eyes are the doors to the soul. Alice's were red, Celia's were amethyst.

It worked.

"You're awake?" Her head snapped about hearing a voice call to her. She could see another room, the wall inbetween them was a glass pane, the other walls were white. Everything in those rooms was white, so much it hurt her head looking at them.

The person who called out to her, a young boy, stood on the otherside, in the next room. She walked up to the glass pane and looked closely at the boy across the pane. He had blonde gold hair messed up, shaggy but nice. It was short but had long bands to his chin. His eyes were what caught her attention. The left one was an ice blue while the right was a wine red. He wore the same thing that Alma would. Pants and a overcoat to guard him from the cold.

Cold. Reminded her of that place with the children. Alice too had been wearing an overcoat with her white dress, she noticed.

The boy came closer and placed his hands on the pane showing Celia the thinness of it. "You've been sick all the time you've been here. Always laying down. Dr. Marcus said that you would be here with me from now on. You haven't woken up to speak or since today. How're you feeling?"

"W-Who," Celia was surprised at hearing the high-pitched voice of her sister's when she spoke. But she had to get used to it. "Who are you...?"

"I thought you hadn't heard me. You must've been asleep then too," he said with a small smile. Unintentionally, she blushed. "My name's Janus. And you?"

"My name's C-" she stopped herself and lowered her face. She wasn't Celia. Not in this body. "My name's Alice." She looked up with a bright smile and despite the cold her cheeks were all rosy. "Nice to meet you, Janus."

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><p><strong>First part of Ceila's past! We're finally getting to know how she lived and how she met her aqquaintances! <strong>

**Next time, what's gonna happen~?**

**Please review~ :D**


	43. Retrace XLI

**Yay~ Second part of Celia's past XD Let's see how this goes.**

**But first up a huge thank yous to Jeany Foster. I haven't had that many reviews lately so this one was really encouraging. Thanks a lot~ :)**

**Now to the main event~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XLI: Changing Course<strong>

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><p>Months had gone by and every afternoon exactly five minutes before six, Celia would go to her room and await the toll of the six bells from the grandfather clock. The moment the last bell tolled she would be back in that white room and awake from the sleep her sister would take an hour earlier.<p>

She loved going there. Janus would always listen to her speak about the things she saw, the things she told him she had seen when she was free. The only thing she wouldn't tell him would be the power that Alice and her possesed. Celia wouldn't tell him and Alice wouldn't tell anybody on the outside while they exchanged.

"What's it going to be today?" Janus said sitting cross-legged in front of pane and looking at Celia.

"I got somebody from the outside to bring me this," Celia called taking out some books from under her bed. "They're some books about the outside. Since you said you've never been there I thought maybe I could teach you more about it with this."

"I'd love to hear about it," Janus said with a wholehearted smile. Celia began to read the book aloud while showing him the pictures of the children's picture book.

Truth be told, not even she had gone that far into the surface. She knew plenty of it. Certainly much more than Alma knew. He was oblivious to the outside and it's customs. She knew this because he would refer to the seasons as persons instead of what they were a change in the weather that happened every time around the same time of certain months. She knew plenty alright but all by studying. Celia had lied through her teeth to Janus about knowing about the outside. She just knew a lot about it, that was all.

"It's sounds like a wonderful place, the outside," Janus said when Celia paused her reading.

Celia's shoulders fell to a slump while her gaze looked about, "It sounds like it does at first but bad things can happen in that wonderful world too. It's not all sugarcubes."

"Sugarcubes, huh. You mean there's also bitter stuff out there?" Janus asked curious.

Celia nodded, "My uncle told me that bad monsters killed my mother. That's why he took care of us. But even he doesn't love us, he never comes to visit or even says hello. He just runs his stupid tests."

"Are you related to Dr. Marcus?" Janus inquired tilting his head.

Celia nodded in agreement. "My mother was the middle sister."

"He said that my mother was the yougnest of them three," Janus explained to her. "He said I, too, was related to him."

"That'd make us cousins, right?" Celia said with a smirk.

"Well not really. I heard one of the people who come and give us food talking about how we hold impure blood," Janus said in a whisper.

"Impure?" Celia repeated.

Janus nodded slowly once. "Because our parents were siblings but not really related. But if you want me to be your cousin then I'll be it. But I'm also your friend right?"

Friend? She had no other friends that Alice and Alma. Sure the science staff from the 6th laboratory were rather nice to her but she really didn't consider any of them her friends. "Sure," she said softly with a wry smile. "You are my friend, Janus."

"Thanks, Alice." Celia felt a stab on her back everytime she heard him call her that name. She wasn't Alice but she knew that he didn't know that.

She shook the feeling away and smiled warmly at him. "What happened to your mother?"

Janus' smile faded as he hugged his knees and hid his eyes behind his hair when he lowered his face. He spoke gravely and with a shaky voice. "She gave birth to me and I love her very much but she doesn't seem to love me like I do."

"What do you mean?"

"She gave me back here. I was getting sicker and sicker and she just handed me over to Dr. Marcus. When I kept asking about her, Professor Epstein finally told me that my mother had been taken by God to heaven." He lowered his head even more and Celia could barely hear the mumble that came, "I've stop asking about her since then."

"I'm sorry," Celia mumbled regretting asking at all.

Janus shook his head, "Don't worry. I have you now and it makes me really happy to be with you like this."

"But we're not really with each other you know," Celia said explaining the obvious. She placed her hand on the pane of glass feeling the coldness of it. "There's a wall between us."

Janus smiled placing his hand over hers through the glass. "As long as I can see you, hear you, and remember you, you're with me and I'm with you."

"You're with me...and I'm with you," she repeated slowly thinking about those words. That's when she felt the tug on her heart again. It was time. She got up and yawned, "I'm a little sleepy. I think I should go sleep a bit before they come back."

Janus got up as well and nodded. "They'll be here soon, that's true." His faced lowered but he brought it back up with a huge smile. "See you tomorrow when you wake up, Alice."

"See you tomorrow Janus," Celia answered placing the books back under her bed and going to lay on the bed. When she shut her eyes she heard the distinctive ticking of the clock in her room. The minute hand finally moved to the twelve and she was gone back in the black space.

By then she'd noticed how with each step she took she could see the outline on her feet the color of a sparkling purple. It reminded her of the snow she'd read about. How it would change shape when one stepped on it. It was like a transparent snow was there and the only thing she could see was that sparkly purple outline. The spores that came from the outline floated up, slowly swaying about and around.

Alice stood there, as always, with a joyous smile on her face. Celia faked one; why, she didn't know exactly. She sprinted up to Celia and grabbed her hands while twirling her around.

"Oh Celia! It's so grand to be outside with people. Alma's been getting much better too. He's not in that sick room as much and he's the same as we remember!" Alice called hugging her finally.

"Really? That's great," Celia said wryly. She looked down and then with a smile asked her, "You don't talk much with Janus do you?"

"Who? The boy on the other room?" Alice said sounding like she couldn't care less for him. "Nope. I was always sleeping. Tired, actually. He talked too much and it's all a blur anyways. I didn't want to talk to him, even moreso after uncle came and did his test on both of us."

"Both?" she repeated confused. "How?"

"The wall disappears," Alice said in a tone that said it wasn't an important matter. "Forget about that! Alma's getting better! Can you believe it? Maybe if he's getting better then maybe I'll get better soon too!" Shee squealed, "I'll be getting out of there soon. Just you wait!" She ran up to her door and disappeared through it.

Celia lowered her gaze and simply went back to her own body. Opening her eyes, she found herself in her old room. Getting up she went to her closet to change clothes. Alice had caught the habit of changing clothes everytime she came to be in Celia's place. Celia liked darker colors but her sister liked brighter ones. Thus why she changed from her frilly pink and white dress to a simple, less frilly black dress with dark blue trimmings and some ribbons. She couldn't care about shoes so she went barefooted.

And where was she heading too at six in the afternoon?

Stealthily as she could, she avoided the eyes of the doctors and scientists that walked through the place and ended up deeper underground. And in no time got herself in the womb shrine again. The past few days she had ended up there and simply talk to someone but no one at the same time. Nobody else would listen, not even Alice. Celia didn't want to tell her either since she didn't want to bring her cheerful mood down. She walked up to the nearest hole and sat down near its edge.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why is it I think about things so much," Celia spoke to the air but directing her words the hole. "Alice doesn't seem to care about others but herself and me. She doesn't even speak to Janus. It sounded like she didn't even care about him. He's such a nice guy though. And then there's the thing about her mother. He said she left him here because he was sick. Do you think my mother got rid of us too? Because she didn't love us?"

"That can't be." Her head snapped up while her whole body turned half way around to see Alma kneeling down beside her. His smile bright and cheerful. How he managed to not be cold was surprising because even she was freezing and she was wearing more clothing that he was. And she was wearing a flipping sweater for goodness sake. "She must've loved you a lot. Professor Edgar said that she just went to heaven with God."

"Heaven with God? He really said that?" Celia asked.

"Mmh," Alma assured her. He looked down to them, "You know, since we've been spending so much time together I haven't been as lonely. You're a great friend but you know something? I keep wondering when they'll wake up."

"You mean the others who're sleeping?" Celia inquired.

"Yeah," he said still looking down. "It's not that I don't like you. I mean, I really like you but-" he said getting rather nervous for some reason.

"I don't get what you're going through, right?" Celia said understanding his babbling. "Don't worry, I get completely what you're saying. I realy don't get what going on with you in that sick room."

"Sick room?" Alma questioned confused.

"Hasn't A- I mean, haven't I said anything about it? Professor Edgar said it was your sick room," Celia said.

Alma shook his head, "But I told you that I was absent so much because of the Innocence synchronization, didn't I? Have you forgotten already?"

Celia shook her head slowly still a bit confused, "Must have slipped my mind. Innocence synchronization, you say?"

"Am I going to have to say it all over again?" Alma asked with a sigh. "Professor Sarinz takes so that I can try to synchro with Innocence which is the only weapon that can destroy Akuma. Akuma are created by the Millenium Earl and we are the apostles that fight against him. At least that's how Professor Edgar explained it to me a long time ago when I barely came here."

Akuma. Millenium Earl. Innocence.

For some reason those names sounded familiar. She knew the names but somehow the memory of what they were was vague and blurry.

_"How much longer are you going to keep deluding from me."_

That voice. It was the same one that had taught her how to exchange places with Alice.

_"You know those names because you've heard them before. A long time ago. Not in this body and not in this lifetime. But seven thousand years ago."_

"What?" she mumbled to herself unable to understand him.

"What's wrong?" Alma asked seeing her struggle with her sight as she kept averting her eyes towards everything in the room.

_"Hey, you should realize already what's happening. The reason I'm here. You're little friend, Alma, mentioned what I am. Mentioned our enemies. But I guess that human who told him about them forgot to tell them about our master."_

_"Master?"_ she thought keeping herself quiet. Her eyes landed on the hole before her and she saw a couple of bubbles rise from underwater. Her eyes widened when more surfaced.

_"Tch. We'll talk later. Another one's coming. Pesty things." _

"Another's coming?" Celia voiced the comment that the voice had done before disappearing.

"Ah, you're right!" Alma called looking down into the hole. "Hey, are you awake?" Celia leaned over and saw to whom those words were directed at. "Perhaps, are you awake? Hey." Celia saw then that the little boy who sat deep inside the hole opened his eyes. She gasped in amazement. They were a pure cobalt color almost black.

"Raise you're hand if you're awake," Alma called.

Celia gasped freaked by the hand that the boy suddnly stretched. Alma leaned even closer in exalted by the awakening of his new friend. And despite her little fear spasm Celia leaned in closer to look as well. "Yay! Yay! Yay!"

Celia only peered in while Alma cried out in joy. "I'm so glad cause I thought I was all alone!"

"Thanks..." Celia mumbled feeling rather down about the comment but knowing already what he really meant.

"You know what? They call you Yu," Alma called while Celia listened and so did the boy apparently. Celia thought he did since he suddenly raised his hand out of the water to point his thin finger at Alma.

"Eh, me?" Alma inquired pointing at himself and laughing nervously while scratching the back of his head. "It's kinda embarassing. Err, they call me...Alma. Happy birthday Yu."

Celia, then, helped Alma get "Yu" out of the water. She pulled on his arm while Alma got him by the shoulder and other arm. He was dripping wet and his long hair was clinging to his body. What bothered her was that the boy was completed naked. Alma kept shouting for help when finally Professor Edgar came by.

The boy looked around with his black eyes but she kind of figured that he still was having trouble figuring out where he was. "You must be cold," she suddenly mumbled getting a glance from the boy as Celia took off her jacket and placed it around his shoulders. His hand suddenly raised towards her and grabbed a strand of her hair forcefully yanking it. "Ow," she mumbled tilting her head to the side to avoid the pain of the yanking. "Please, don't do that." She grabbed Yu's hand trying to undo his grasp on her hair. "Alma!"

"Oh snap," Alma said trying to help her. "Yu, don't do that. You're hurting her."

"Alma, you're dressed like that stll? It's cold here. Put on a coat. I'm always telling you this." His eyes suddenly fell on Celia. "Celia? What are you doing here?"

"I came here," she said deciding that lies wouldn't help her much right now. "Hurry," she said with a tear stinging on her eye. "He's gonna leave me bald."

"Oh goodness," Edgar said putting his lab coat over Yu and over Celia's own jacket. He was the one who finally got Yu to let go. Celia stood there watching as Edgar took the boy, who walked like a newborn deer, out of the cold to get examined.

"Wonderful things they're doing, huh?" The voice from before was now clear as day and was coming from behind her. "Such anathema those Second Exorcists are. Then again-" he scoffed, "Aren't you such thing too?"

Celia turned around but nobody was there. The voice really scared her this time. Her? An anathema? She'd read it in one book. Anathema, someone hated. But was she? Was she someone that people hated? She shook it from her mind and turned around only to find a man dressed in white standing before her, his face too close to hers. His eyes scared her, blood red like hers but his gave out a very menacing aura.

"You seem to be taking too much advantage of my great help while I'm getting nothing in return!" he chirped with a sneer on his face. "I'm afraid that's not how it goes. I need my fun too. So how about you just go and take a skinny dipping, dear." She felt a harsh shove on her chest when the man pushed her small frame back. She screamed feeling nothing cushioning her fall until her back hit the freezing water.

"Celia!" Alma shouted running up to the hole along with Professor Edgar. Yu, unconsciously, followed behind him.

Her screams were quieted by the water that suddenly entered her lungs. She fling her arms helplessly along with her legs but she couldn't reach the surface where she saw Alma stretching his arm towards her to grab. She tried reaching out again but strands of a black something swayed about her hand and grabbed it by the wrist pulling her back. The strands got her neck, wrapping around it with force. She grabbed at it with her hands trying to rip it off but it held on too tight. She opened her mouth trying to catch a breath but only letting go the little she had left.

"Come on, you'll die at this rate." It was him. He was the one doing this, "I want to come out so just say the word and I'll free you. But I'll be the one in your place this time. Deal?"

_No!_ She thought fiercely attempting to not let him win. He wanted something from her but he wasn't going to get it. Not as long as she was alive.

"Oh believe me," the grasp of the strands around her neck got tighter blocking her whole trachea. "That can be easily fixed." The strand cut of though, by a white hand, letting her go. "Damn, Atrum." Celia resurfaced gasping for air while Alma pulled her out.

"I got you!" Alma called.

_"You're not getting away that easy."_ Two strands came from the shadows this time and wrapped around Celia's ankles pulling her towards them.

"No!" she yelled hysteric. "Let go of me!" Edgar grabbed her by the waist trying to pull her away from the dark. Alma, on his side, tried to bite off the right strand with his teeth in vain. Yu came by the side and yanked at the black strand ripping it. While the dark strand retraced the one on her ankle disappeared. Alma let go and did the same thing he saw Yu do ripping it apart and setting her free.

Edgar pulled her away from the shadows while Alma took Yu away from them as new strands threatened to come their way. Celia looked scared at them. "No." She wasn't scared of what they'd do to her but more of what they would do to them. "Don't hurt them Albus!"

The strands halted their approach millimeters away from Alma and Yu's faces then they retraced back to shadows and the heavy atmosphere that was in the place left the room.

"W-What happened?" Alma stuttered scared a bit.

"Celia?" Edgar called to the girl in his arms but noticed she had fainted. What was worse, she had stopped breathing. "Celia!" He placed her down on the floor and beginning CPR. By then the scientists with the medicine had arrived. Twi and Sarinz, followed by Rennie, also rushed in after hearing that another apostle had awakened.

"What in heaven's name-" Twi began but saw what her husband was doing and quickly went to him and the breathless girl.

"Come Yu," Sarinz, on the other hand, took Yu away to begin his treatment after awakening. The boy, however, seemed to be more concern with the girl who had stopped breathing. The girl who had offered him warmness. Soon, though, he lost sight of her when he was taken away.

"What's happening to her? What's happening to Celia?" Alma cried hysterically while trying to get away from Rennie's grasp.

"I don't know, Alma," was her only answer.

"Get out of my way!" a high-pitched voice suddenly shouted pushing people and running towards Celia.

"Let her see the child," Dr. Marcus' voice boomed in the room while he followed Alice in. Edgar nodded and picked up Celia so that the girl could see her.

She placed her right hand on Celia's chest and with her left began hovering above her stomach. "Don't swallow it. Don't swallow it." She finally found what she was looking for and called, "Atrum." Her palms began then to glow a faint white as she pressed them against her throat and her upper abdomen. Out of the blue, Celia took in a great gasp of air and began coughing. After seconds of doing that she finally vomited out the problem. She puked out a small white ball that was squishy and wet from her saliva. "Celia!" Alice cried happy that she finally took a . Marcus, instead, grabbed the ball with a gloved hand and placed it in a container.

"Rennie," Twi called and Rennie nodded taking Alma away from there.

"What was that?" Edgar inquired to him.

"An egg. A Progenitor Egg to be exact. It seems that Alice's was dead when it exited her body but this one seems yet to hatch. It's what caused her sudden asphyxsia to occur," Dr. Marcus explained.

"No," Edgar refrained from letting his hatred come through his voice. "The thing that tried to pull her away. What was that?"

"Her Innocence."

"Innocence?" Twi repeated confused. "She's an Apostle?"

"Both of them are. I thought that Alice had been the one to activate her Innocence when she reacted to the virus but it seems that Celia was the first one to actually connect with her own. That the body expelled the parasites from Celia's body alive says that the Innocence recognize the threat and acted upon it."

"By drowning her?" Edgar inquired.

"By forcing her to expulse it the same way Alice did," Marcus answered. "Take her away to the infirmary. She needs to rest. I'll do tests later on both."

"No!" Alice's voice shouted holding on her sister. "You're not taking her away and I'm not going back there!"

"It's not your choice to make. You have no say in this," Marcus countered.

"But I do," Twi called standing up. "Take them to the infirmary. You won't be seperated anymore."

"Come on, Alice," Edgar called carrying Celia in his arms. "Let's go help your sister get better." They left quickly after.

"What's the meaning of this?" Marcus called.

"You and your obsession with this virus," Twi said straight out in his face. "You're neglecting them, using them as simple guinea pigs. They're human beings."

"Like you're one to talk," Marcus scowled. "The Chans and Epsteins using such vile ways to create Apostles."

"Still. They deserve better. Do what you want with that egg but you will not get close to those girls again," Twi ordered in a great voice.

"What makes you think you can order me?" Marcus said knowing that the studies took presedence over her orders.

"Because if you do, I will call Central and inform them about those two." Twi finally got his attention with that, "And they'll be taken to HQ to be trained as Exorcists and report you. I doubt you would want them persecuted like they did with Cecilia and Kingsley. Beside you're being persecuted too, aren't you? If you want to remain here, then do so I won't stop you. But unless you want to be with those girls as your nieces I won't let you get close to them again."

Twi left going to see Yu but Marcus remained there. Thinking about how much he despised those girls. They made it all worse. If he couldn't find the cure with them it would be in vain. They would die just like he. No, that wasn't why he despised them. It was because they were Apostles just like Cecilia. The one Evernly child who got chosen by God to act in his behalf.

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><p><strong>How was it? I guess the past part will have a third part. I still need to put some more things. I thought it'd all fit in this one but I was going past 4000 words. So I'll just make it a three part thing. <strong>

**Well, please review! I love reading reviews! :D**


	44. Retrace XLII

**Well, this is getting to a third part of the Celia's past. **

**I'm pretty sure it's going to be the last one before we go on. If not what's left will be added next chapter but briefly. Maybe this will be the brief one if not half the chapter but who flashbacking's getting me confused a bit. X6**

**But anyway, I'll skip thanks today and go straight to it~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XLII: Ignorance is Bliss...?<strong>

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><p>The twins lived a couple days of peace after that. They would keep to themselves and although Alice had to return to that sick room every so often during the day, they spent most of their time together now that Alma had Yu to keep him company.<p>

Celia noticed that Yu still couldn't recollect much information and keep it. Professor Edgar told her that it would take up to a week for his brain to function properly. After all he was very well a newborn, he said to her.

She didn't quite understand him but she agreed anyway. That afternoon Celia and Alice were sitting across from each other simply passing a rubber ball from one another through the floor. Those last two days, since Celia woke up from her black out, Alice had been explaining to Celia all about the Innocence and the virus. She told her how they were what the scientists called Apostles of God who could control Innocence. Alice told her about the Millenium Earl and the Akuma, things that she had heard from Alma.

It wasn't like she could keep it all a secret anymore. Celia had confronted her after she woke up a bit angry at how she had left something so important from her.

After she was done Alice sighed, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She rolled the ball to Celia who caught it in her hands but didn't return it. She simply stared off into the distance before she spoke. "That's honesty for you." She heaved a sigh before throwing the ball to her sister.

Alice pouted, "If that's it then I really hate the honesty between us. However I guess that's the truth between you and me. But I still can't stand it: the hurt, the hate." Alice was speaking about the sadness of the outside world they hadn't seen. The hurt and hate that people were able to produce was insurmountable and the Millenium Earl found a way to use it.

Celia couldn't hold anything against her. It was sad how the people were being used. How their feelings were being consumated to create such monsters. The ball got thrown towards her again and she caught it, clawing at the material. And before she could stop herself the words slipped through her lips, "Is it you or what's inside you that hates it?"

Alice looked up to her sister baffled. "H-How do you know...?" So Celia wasn't the only one who could speak with that Innocence in them. Alice could hear and speak to hers too. Just another lie to add to their pile of 'honesty' she guesed by then.

"You're not the only one who hears them. I can too. It even gave me an escape route if I ever decided that I didn't want to go on in this world. And probably I'll end up using it someday."Inside her head she was thinking about the exchange that this 'Albus' she had called out to gave her. To switch places with her and let him take the reigns of her life. That sounded easier. Much easier than what he proposed the other night in her dreams.

"What? How?" Alice perked right up with the questions. Celia hadn't quite figured out yet how she felt about having Innocence or being an Apostle. Alice, though, knew exactly how she felt; she dispised Innocence and being an Apostle because it only brought them apart.

"To have one vanquish the other's conscious," Celia said and explained the basics of what Albus had said to her. If their consciousness perished then so would the virus and their souls would be set free from their burden.

"Then you'll safe me just like you promised!" Alice stood up in a perk of glee.

Celia didn't want to ask but it seemed that her lips were just not listening to her mind right that moment. She stood up and asked straight out, "Would you do it to me?"

"W-W-W-What?" Alice stuttered, being caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Never mind." Celia stormed off without another word said. Shockingly, Alice didn't follow her. Guess that was just how far they have truly grown apart from each other. Celia felt like crying for some reason. Before she knew it she had picked up the pace and began running down empty halls.

She couldn't stop herself and simply kept running. But the halls weren't as empty as she first thought for at turning the corner she bumped into someone tumbling down.

"Celia? What's wrong?" It had been Professor Edgar whom she had stumbled upon. Immediately getting up she went to hug him and cried her heart out. He hadn't the slightest idea why the oldest sister was so upset or what caused her to be. Nevertheless, like the loving father he was for his own son, he picked up the little girl and carried her away to a less crowded place. "Now, mind telling me what's wrong?"

He had taking her to Alma and Yu's room. Out of all the places, that room was the most quiet of all disregarding the scientists that lingered in that place on the other side of the one way mirror.

"I don't know," she said in a choked sob. "My chest. It hurts really bad."

"Where?" he asked gently. At that question she rubbed her tears away as more came and with the other hand pointed right to her heart. "Could you tell me what happen?"

"It's just that-" she choked on a sob. "I don't get this world at all! It's so confusing! So many sad anf hateful things happen! I don't want to live in this place! I hate it!" She cried even more. Edgar was trying desperately to have her stop because she was barely breathing. After a few minutes he finally got her crying down a notch. Now they were simple sobs and hiccups but enough to make her listen.

"Hey," Edgar said said trying to comfort her. "This isn't such a bad world."

"How can you say that? How can you be sure?" she asked unable to believe his words, or anyone else's for that matter, anymore. Her world simply had shattered in its totality. Alice's lying, her own seclusion, the outside world's horridness, and the two's unstoppable alienation from each other. It was just too much for her tiny self to take in and it simply overwhelmed her.

"Because it's not the world in itself that's so bad. It's the people that live it in that make it so." His explanation made her brow furrow in confusion which he noticed. "You've lived in this place since you were born. Do you think we're bad people?"

She shook her head wipping the tears away and hiccuping twice. "You take care of me and love me. You're the nicest people I've ever met."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," he said bending to make eye contact with her. "There's not just bad people that walk this earth. There's also people who do good things. The world's always going to have bad but it's always going to have good. Every life's choice matters; whether they are good or bad it's their choice. It's up to you what you do with yours as well and it could be yours that makes the difference with how others view it. When they think of you, will they think of the bad things of this world?" He got his left wrist and took the purple beaded bracelet andplaced it on her palm closing it. He smiled and like always patted her head in affection, "Or will they see you and think about the good and pleasant things this world has to give? It's all up to you."

"Celia?" Alma's voice called in getting their attention. Celia saw him and Yu walking in. Yu was still a bit of a mindless person walking about following Alma. He would soon be able to hold memories and he would be able to think by himself. "Are you all right?"

Celia looked down at the bracelet and held it tightly in her hand before she nodded. "I'm okay now, I think." She turned to them and with a grand smile on her face called, "You guys wanna go play with me and Alice?"

"Sure," Alma said turning to Yu. "Right, Yu?" The cobalt-eyed boy simply avert his gaze.

Celia giggled. "Would you come here, Yu?" His head came up at his name and without a say went up to her while she sat on Alma's bed. "Put your arm out. Like this," she said showing him with her right hand. Yu glanzed at it before doing th same with his left. The moment she saw his wrist up she plucked the bracelet on it letting it fall. Looking at his wrist, he seemed to be pondering at the strange action. "It's a gift from me. So that you get to grow up safely."

"Say 'thank you' Yu," Professor Edgar said after getting a chuckle from the girl's actions.

"Thank...you." The voice was monotone and oblivious but she was grateful that she at least got a word out of him.

"Let's go play then!" Alma called perking up and running to the world.

"Yeah!" Celia called jumping hastily off the bed and catching the palm of her hand on the bed's edge. "Ow," she mumbled and looked at her palm as it bled from the nice line that the bed's edge had caused.

"Be more careful, Celia," Edgar said looking at the blood that she left on the edge of the bed as well. He was about to clean it when she intervened.

"I'll clean-" but the moment her hand reached out for the stain the blood on both her hand and bed ignited with a blue flame. Alma and Yu leaped back shocked as the flames consumed the bed rapidly. Edgar drew the shocked Celia back out of the room.

_"Too bad, so sad, Celia-chan. It's seems you unintentionally activated me. And people saw~" _

At Albus' words, she turned to the one-way mirror. Somebody besides them was in that room too. They had seen what she'd done...with Albus, her Innocence.

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><p>"Is it true?" Alice whispered that night while both were in bed. Even when it was still one in the morning neither could concieve any sleep. "Did your Innocence...?"<p>

"It reacted to me, somehow," Celia said staring at nothing in the dark of the room. "My blood from the cut," she said looking at the insignificant scab that was left by that night. "It just burst into flames. Everything was undamaged. It seems it was harmless."

Alice sat up and played with the sheets in her hands. "You know how this afternoon I went into the sick room again?" Celia nodded still glancing at her palm. Finally, after gasping for air like a choking fish, she spoke out her mind. "Janus asked me to run away with him."

"What?" Celia said slowly and quietly turning her head to Alice.

"I-I know right? I mean he was so serious and I asked him about you, if we could take you with us. But he said that we couldn't because they would already start with you too. What they did to him, he said, they would do to you too since you're Innocence activated for the first time already." She chuckled nervously, "He's crazy right? They couldn't do anything bad to you, could they?"

Celia thought about what he meant. He had told Celia, when she was exchanged with Alice, that he had been living there for three years. A few months after the first passed was when his Innocence had activated. When that happened Dr. Marcus had arrived to experiment on him, on how the virus affected the Innocence. He had told her sch horrible things about what they would do. Such horrifying things. Would they do that to her? Would...they do that to Alice when she finally activated her own Innocence. She fisted her injured hand, "You should have left with him..."

The words that left Celia's lips shocked Alice making her laugh it out nervously. But when Celia's serious face didn't change she simply lost all laugh and became scared. "I couldn't just leave you here! He said- he said that they're going to start the tests. They saw you burning that thing."

"Then leave! If you can go, then just go! I don't want them to do those horrible things they did to him to you!" she bellowed at her sister getting off from the bed. The black nightgown greatly resembled her everyday summer dress.

"But what about you?" Alice called out with tears threathening to fall as she too got out of bed with a nightgown similar to her summer dress and white.

"Don't you get it!" Celia yelled. "I don't care what happens to me...as long as you're safe!" Without another say, and for the second time that day, she stormed out running barefooted.

_"Run, run little mouse. But you have nowhere to run to. You have nowhere to hide. I will be with you because you and I are one and the same. Besides that Janus seems to know about the Sacrements. We can't let him interfere."_

"Stop! Stop telling me what to do!" she bellowed through empty halls trying to escape the voice.

_"This night should be as good a starters as any other. So first come the ten."_

She stopped running when she felt her lungs burn and her feet as well from the gelid cold of the floor. She was in another white room. One that wasn't in use yet. She could tell because the lights were off making it more like grey and no furniture was in yet. There was no glass pane, only white walls. That's when she knew where she was. This was supposed to be her room, isolated from anything and anybody else. They were planning on experimenting on her.

"What are you doing here?" it was one of the scientists, one she probably didn't know since she didn't recognize his voice right away. "You shouldn't be here."

_"How about we start tonight?"_

"No..." she mumbled.

_"Let him be the first one."_

All happened in a second but for her it lasted a lifetime. Albus had formed the sword on her hand out of nothing. The white feathers escaping from the hilt as it formed. More scientists came rushing in after hearing the screams of the first. But they only came into the slaughter. Soon enough ten had been killed by her hand.

"Celia!" she looked up to see Alma calling her name frantically. He'd heard the screams that woke him up. Not far from him was also the other, Yu. Had they heard her as she murdered them? He kepted screaming her name over and over trying to get her to answer or to react. But her senses and mind were all overwhelmed by Albus' intentions.

She finished the last one and was about to leave. To where, she didn't know exactly. All she knew was that Albus told her to look for the Assumption of Heaven. However something tackled her down making her drop the sword in her hand and making Albus' voice disappear. She kept fighting though trying to get the one holding onto her get away.

"Celia, stop this!" Alice yelled having followed her after she ran from the room. Finally managing to push her away Celia reacted to the bloodied figure of her sister with fearful eyes. Eyes that showed her that Alice was scared of Celia. Of what she was turning into. "Stop this, Celia," Alice's tears mingled with her whispers as she clutched her heart. "Is this how you're going to protect?"

The screams of her sister made her snap briefly to reality. Albus didn't take any chances and began to coerce her back into submission. But he'd gone to far by threathening Alice's life making Celia snap back completely.

The people she'd killed mutated into Lost Souls and were beginning to rouse. Celia's eyes caught Alma's face in a frown. He didn't want to leave them there but he took Yu by the hand and ran away. _You did the right thing,_ she thought.

Alice kept shouting at her to withstand Albus but it was hard for her. Soon Atrum saw that no more could be done and was taking Alice away from Celia. Celia didn't want to be alone. She didn't want this world to be dark as before. The only things that gave it any light were the people she loved. They were the ones who gave all her life any meaning. Most of all was the one person she cherished the most.

"No! Don't take her away! Don't do it!" she screamed terrified of losing the one thing that mattered to her. The one person that she would give up life itself to keep safe. Finally the last of those memories ended when the feathers engulfed them both into nothingness. She saw what had happened with Alma and Kanda, all as if in fast foward. Nevertheless she saw it all clearly. A gift from Wisely, more than likely, to make everything worse for her.

All became a blur before the last memory resurfaced. The next thing she saw was her child self crying and pleading to something. To someone.

"Help me forget. I don't want to remember. Please..."

"Are you sure?" It was Janus' voice. He'd escaped from the 6th laboratory soon after Alma's mass killing. When they encountered each other again she told him the truth. About everything: the exchange, their Innocence, how she had lied. And oh how it pained her to have to say that she had lied. "Then..." he said sadness tangible in his voice. "I'll help you. I'll help you forget."

"Will you erase my memories?"

"Memories can't be erased. They can only be put to sleep with Thanatos' power. When they are put to sleep they harbor themselves deep withing our hearts. They will still be with you but you will not recall any of them. Is that okay?"

"Would I remember anything later on? Will those memories wake up someday?"

"Unless forced out, they shouldn't. Unless you willingfully want to remember I will never open the lock to your memories again," he said truthfully.

"Then promise me," she said sobbing unable to contain her sadness. The sadness that overflowed with each passing day. Alice was gone, the people she loved were dead. She held nothing but deep sorrow in her heart. She wanted to forget it. To simply live her life with the bliss of ignorance. "Promise me that you'll never let me remember again. I never wish for these memories to be remembered."

"I will." She fell a sudden warmth in her head. A warmth that was gentle and loving and that soon drifted her to sleep. To sleep so that the next time she woke up she knew nothing. She would remember nothing. "I promise."

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><p><strong>How was it? Yep, I believe this will be the last one of Celia's past~ 0w0<strong>

**Well, hoped you liked it~! XD**

**Please review, it's rather lonely not hearing what people thinnk. Then again that's my opinion :)**


	45. Retrace XLIII

**Well I can thanks to many people today~ :) **

**Besides the wonderful people that always read this story (and the reason i write it in the first place) I have to give thanks to a couple of people.**

**-to Chester-Grey for the review, glad that you liked it so much. :) **** -to Jeanny Foster for the review and story fav, haha :D thanks~ -and to Peggy for her review on this story. I'm just so happy people enjoy reading my stories~ :")**

**That's about all I have to say besides the grand amount of gratitude I have for the people who've kept reading. **

**Let's get to it, shall we~?**

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><p><strong>Retrace XLIII: Given the Choice...What Will Be Done?<strong>

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><p>Janus had blacked out completely. The pipes that Sheril controlled kept him locked in position standing upright but the boy kept his head low. He could feel it from Thanathos. Every lock he had placed back then nine years ago was unlocked completely by force. With the locks broken Celia had already seen everything she once wanted to forget about.<p>

He had let her down.

"You worry too much about petty things." Janus picked his head up lazily to face the back of Wisely's. That Noah talked too much and preyed on other's weaknesses. "She was fated to remember all those things someday soon anyway. I just fastened the process."

"You Noah are despicable," he spat out.

"You want to know what's despicable?" the Earl called with that same cheery tone but disdain clear on his eyes. "Humans who believe that they can create the things only God can. Such like the humans who created you and your little friend over there."

Janus sneered, "If they're despicable then what does that make us?"

"Victims." Janus' head snapped up to Tykki Mikk's voice.

"Empathy?" Sheril inquired rather curious.

"Not all," he said truthfully. "It's more like a sort understanding."

Out of the blue the body of Alma Karma began to react to the memories that were being showed to him. _Damn,_ Janus called bitting down on his tongue drawing his own blood out. He savored the metallic flavor before the throbbing answered to his offering.

_"I sensed it as well. Alma Karma is awakening."_

Hurriedly afterwards Allen hit Kanda straight on the forehead with his Innocence throwing him away from them. Janus noticed then and there that it would be too late to stop Alma's awakening.

_Help me get to her. Let me protect her now to when I couldn't back then. Use me as a medium to come forth in exchange,_ Janus' thoughts reached his now roused Innocence.

_"In exchange, right kid?"_ At that last comment Janus felt the same thing he felt when he had escaped from the 6th lab. He had to battle his way out of the place for one reason. Someone had actually stolen samples of the virus and broken one vile. It infected a few but those few infected the already dead and brought him even more trouble. He had to admit that his own Innocence was a heavy cross to carry but if it helped him protect the one person he cared for in his whole damned existence then he would carry it gladly.

"Then if you agree, do it now!" he yelled as he felt an immense pain on the back of his neck. It felt as if the back of his nape had split open. But he knew better than to fall for that illusion. Even in this seeming truce, Thanatos was still attempting to knock him out unconscious so that he could completely take over. Janus knew that that was only the infected Innocence's mindset. It wasn't the real Thanatos. What came out of him, though, wasn't an illusion. The tubes holding him up broke from the force as they let him fall off along with what had come out of the back of his head. Janus could see it, the same thing that had appeared before him that allowed him to escape safely nine years ago.

The iron rod was a few feet taller than him. At one end it had two smaller posts that formed a triangle pointing out like a flag. Wrapped around it was a rusted black chain. It wrapped up the rod then around the triangle and stopped at the middle of the rod. At that end of the chain was a spirit stone held by an iron belt. It was a a vibrant pink color, it was icicle-shaped, and was much bigger than his fist.

Quickly regained his composure he sprinted towards Celia and caught her as the ground began to crumble. Taking her away he turned to see Alma about to burst away the light with Akuma virus.

"J-Janus..." Celia's whisper was barely audiable amongst the racket. With the swiftness he still had in his body after the extraction of the weapon in him, he turned aroudn to face Celia's barely conscious form.

"Hold your breath!" he called and wrapped his arms around her small frame. "Innocence activate! Demios Shadow!" The gem began to glow as an illusion of a formidable yet tattered red cloak appeared from it's light. But it wasn't an illusion for long for it turned solid a few seconds before the explosion as it wrapped around them both for protection.

Celia could only see darkness for the span of a second before tha cloak unraveled letting the scene shed upon their eyes. The North American Branch was all wrecked up in ruins.

"Can you see him?" Janus asked turning to the womb that broke as a body fell from it.

"Alma's...awake," Celia mumbled getting to his feet with Janus' help. "But I can't fight."

"Don't bother looking for the rapier. It got destroyed in the havoc and couldn't risk your life by trying to get it," Janus said.

"I didn't mean because of Xiao. I can just replicate it with anything around me. No, I can't fight him," Celia said sullen and lowering her face.

"Because it's him?"

"Because it's my fault it all happened in the first place," Celia added. "If I hadn't left-"

"He would've found out eventually Celia. It's not your fault or anybody's except those people who created them," Janus assured her.

She scoffed, "Kanda will be the same asshole thinking he has to deal with this shit all by himself."

"Isn't that like him," Janus snorted at her simplicity.

He caught her walking forth and picking up a pipe. As soon as her left palm picked up the tube it began to be engulfed by white feathers. Once it was all covered it shaped into the rapier of white color but no mutation was seen on her left shoulder and the tentacles weren't coming to ask for her blood. It was like they were submitting to her goal.

She smirked. "He's strong but he's an idiot. I'm not letting him get even more hurt than he already has."

"You can't shield him from it," Janus spoke knowingly fully well with what she meant by 'get more hurt'. She'd seen what he'd suffer when he was but a child. It wasn't injuried that worried her or how much longer his body could last. It was how much more and how much longer his heart could sustain.

"But I'm part of both their pasts. I'm part of both their lives," she tilted her head towards him with a wry smile that he couldn't say no to. "I can at least help carry some of the burden the two hold. If only a little I'd be happy to do it for them."

"How can I help you?" Janus said with no hesitance.

"Are you sure?" she asked confused and shocked.

"I know how you feel. My life too would be nothing if you hadn't saved me from my own damnation. I don't just owe you; I am willingly putting myself forever in your debt. And that debt I will repay by staying by your side as your ally." Janus said with a smile.

She nodded her tears stinging her eyes, happiness surging her mind knowing she had her friend back, "I'd like that." She turned squinting the tears away, "Now let's help that concieted son of a bitch."

"Who ever said it'd be that easy?"

Both turned about barely catching his figure but out of the two Celia leaped out of the being the most attentive of the two. The bommerang thrown hit Janus directly and threw him away towards the debris.

"Janus!" Celia saw the staff stand tall from the debris and knew he was okay. She turned to see the one person she couldn't want to see less than anybody else in her whole life at the moment.

"Why so serious?" Prometheus called with a mischievous sneer in his face as he caught the boomerang in his hand. In his eyeless hand. He took his free hand over to the blindfold in his eyes and pryed it off with a swift move and reveal what laid beneath it. His eyes had been placed back into their sockets but they were the same color as before. Nothing had changed but how could he have placed them back when the virus was what caused the mutation to occur in the first place? "Surprising, isn't it? It seems Madame can do miracles now that she only needs one source. The blood in her veins is as much as the cure as it could possibly be with or without you, I'd say."

"She sent you here," Janus called getting back up with Celia's help. "She doesn't need me anymore. She won't be getting Celia either. Why send you here?"

"A traitor must pay," Prometheus said with a sneer. "After all you took the Second's soul and are now protecting the Third. She wants me to end you and take her back for the final step."

"Over my dead body," he exclaimed taking Thanatos in both his hands.

"That can be arranged," Prometheus said grabbing the boomerang from both ends. It began then to glow a dark light before the whole weapon was reduced into his hands as four daggers on each hollow between his fingers. "I can finally go back to my old ways."

"Celia, go to them," he whispered.

"Are you mad?" she hissed back grabbing his shoulder.

He shook her away. "You're the only one who can bring them to their senses. Go before they end up killing each other." That didn't wipe the sullen expression from her face. He send her a wry smile before saying, "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked worried.

"Haven't I always been?" he asked and pushed her away before he went and began fighting with Prometheus. Celia fell over a pile of rubber before finding her footing. From her place she could see them all. Allen was fighting against Tokusa who had already gone mad because of Alma's cells in him. Kanda, on the other hand, was fighting with Alma.

She couldn't let them just fight each other like back then. She wouldn't allow it. That's when she heard the Earl's voice in her head. It seemed everybody could hear it. He would end it all if Allen would leave the Order.

"Bull," she hissed. She knew the Earl wouldn't stop even if Allen went with him. Even if he said he would it was unlikely for him to do so. She hurried of towards the place were Alma and Kanda were fighting and finally got there only to see Kanda slash away at Alma and Alma only regenerating to attack Kanda back. It was all a grotesque cycle that wouldn't stop.

She sought an opening when Kanda got hit and for the tenth time regenerated. "Inferno!" she commanded and sent a stream of magenta flames keeping them from attacking one another. This gave her time to step up and stand in front of Kanda.

"Get out of the way," he snarled in anger.

"No," she countered firmly. "I won't let you guys kill each other."

"Is that you, Celia?" Alma's voice caught both of them by surprise. Alma had landed some feet away from them. Celia heard the shifting from behind her and brought Xiao up to stop Mugen from moving towards Alma.

"What the fuck are you doing going against me!" he bellowed out at her. The blades shook but it was mostly because of the immense force that he was putting on Mugen that made them shake. Celia could barely hold her place but she was determined to stop the massacre.

"I'm not going to let you hurt each other anymore!" she yelled in his face.

"It is you, Celia." She was about to turn to see Alma again but all her eyes saw were a blinding shine of light. Before the beam from Alma could harm her, Kanda hurled her away from the way along with himself.

"Get out of here. This isn't your fight," he said brusquely towards her. Leaving her on the ground he aimed Mugen again towards Alma.

"No! It is my fight!" she yelled hysteric getting up in a haste. "You saw it too, didn't you? What happened with us. I shouldn't have left, it was stupid of me. I could've stopped you."

"I'm glad you left," he whispered.

"What...?" she was dumbfounded. Why would he have been glad that she left. She could've stopped them.

"You shouldn't have left Celia," Alma called getting her attention. "You should've stayed. That way I could've killed along with all the others!" He charged at Celia personally but she was quick enough to block the attack with Xiao.

With all the might she could muster against him, she threw him off her but only a few feet. "Stop this Alma. This isn't you! I really don't want to harm you!"

"How foolish," Alma mumbled glancing at her with mad eyes. "You don't get it, do you? At least one of you has the guts to actually face me. Funny becuase I thought you were stronger than Yu but I guess you're only stronger at heart not brutal strength."

"Then I'll use that strength against you," she said focusing on him instead of the ravaging comrade she her beside her. "So that I can help you get rid of that hatred."

"Scratch what I said, you're just stupid. That's just how I remember you, Celia. You were the naive one. You thought everything could be fixed if you really tried. Well, guess what-" He charged at and thrashed her away against debris. At impact she felt blood escape from her lips. Falling to the floor she had to force herself to get on all fours with Xiao still in her left but holding her side with her right. Her ribs, she'd heard and felt them clearly snap. "This nobody can fix. Not even you."

_"But perhaps I can~"_ the Earl's voice resonated in all of their heads. _"Allen...If you so wish it, I will erase the dark matter from Alma and the Third Exorcists."_

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><p><strong>Lame way to end it. :l and I hate to give everything out in one long chapter so I'm cutting it here :D hope you don't mind~!<strong>

**People have been making me happy with these moderate reviews~ :D I love them so if you want keep leaving them! We're almost there people! Just some chapters more! XD**


	46. Retrace XLIV

**Hello~ peoples :D How's it going? :9 I'll say thanks next time~**

**Anyway how about we get to this. Just a couple more~ XD**

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><p><strong>Retrace XLIV: What's Shattered Cannot be Fixed<strong>

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><p>The Earl had just thrown a curve at Allen. Something he couldn't simply ignore. If Allen so wanted to, the Earl himself would erase the dark matter in Alma and the Third Exorcists. If he did that all of them would be free from the Akuma cells' grasp.<p>

Kanda had just thrown Alma against a pile of ruins and he'd clearly heard what the Earl had said. Alma's laugh came to them as they turned to face him while he surfaced from the rubble. "Dark matter? That doesn't matter. Even if I return to my original body this grudge will still remain. All I want is for Yu to die!" Alma let out a great charge of electricity.

It ran through her body with a rampaging force tearing her already healed insides. Blood poured even more from her mouth as the shock brought her to her knees already exhausted from healing so much.

"See that?" Prometheus called after a while of toying around with Janus. "How much longer do you think the virus will want her as a vessel if she keeps getting more and more hurt? It's only a matter of time, Janus. She'll become the same thing as those children at the Water Prison. Just heavy rock and nothing but dust."

"That won't happen," Janus snapped spitting out blood and holding Thanatos up.

"You can't stop every harm that comes her way. Let her deal and let us see just how long she lasts," Prometheus called enjoying the brutal massacre that was happening before his eyes. "How entertaining it is to see you all Exorcists and Noah gnarled at each other! It's quite amusing indeed~!" Celia, on her end, was barely getting up from the shock while Kanda was fiercely fighting against Alma.

"You cannot stop what is happening and what is to come and all because you are nothing. You who are nothing can't possibly hope to accomplish anything." She turned to find a thin fleshy figure before her. It had the vague shape of a woman but had whips for hands and shined with slime. She also had spikes running down the nape of her neck and all the way down her spine. It was an evolved version of the female mutt Alice had fought back in the Ark. The weirdest thing about this one, though, was that she was clearly speaking in a human voice. She whiped at Celia making her skid away from her and fall back from where Alma and Kanda were fighting. "You're useless for everything. You can't keep your promises. You can't protect the people you love. All because you're weak. And the weak should just die. You don't even know who you are. For you who is nobody is it impossible."

All this did was puncture down the wound already present in her heart. She had let so many people down and broken so many vows already. Remembered or not, she had broken them all. She was useless, indeed.

"Now surrender!" the mutt attacked whipping away at Celia who could barely keep up at blocking the attacks. Who the hell was she trying to fool? She was no match for him. The angrier he was the more powerful he got. How was she suppose to stop him AND convince Kanda that he shouldn't kill him.

_"The same way you've convinced yourself that nothing's impossible."_

That voice...!

"Albus!" she cried amazed at her resonating Innocence piece. She could see and feel the vibration from her glowing Innocence.

"Augh!" the mutt cried being affected by the power the light emanated making her draw back.

_"You can do this kid. If not I'm gonna personally come out there and kick your snarky ass to hell, get you back, and kick you back in."_

"B-But how? I'm scared. I can barely move. The virus isn't healing me fast enough anymore. How I am suppose to stop them. All that she said is true. And after everything I said to Janus-"

_"STOP FUCKING CRYING ABOUT IT!"_

Her head almost burst from the yell coming from it. She picked at her ear thinking her eardrums had most likely popped. _"You're not nobody. You're not an Everly. You're not an Everlott. What's your name?"_

"What?" she called barely being able to understand the foolish question at such crucial moment. "What the heck are you talking about?" She ducked barely evading another whip but being hit by the second and being sent away into a wall of rubble.

_"What's your name? Who are you? You know the answer. Say it!" _

"My...name..." she mumbled while standing up again. "I'm...Celia."

_"Celia what?"_

"Celia-"

_**"Then how about**_** Valentine."**The person's voice, who had given her that name, resonated in her head. _**"Suits you well."** _

"I'm Celia Valentine," she called to herself and Albus standing up straight and holding Xiao tight in her left hand. That was when the glow began to get brighter as it sipped into the blade as it changed from its white color to a brighter yet softer blue.

_"And why have you decided to live on? Even in this cruel world?"_

"Because of the person and people I love and cherish are in this world. As long as they are I have a reason to live," she answered. The rapier's hilt began to expand. The hilt itself was now a couple of inches more than her palm could grip and was now pure white gold with brown leather for grip. The guard itself was spreading around her whole hand which gripped the hilt tightly. It finally stopped as it created a semi dome of hardened, white gold feathers to protect the yielding hand. Both quillions were straight and of black oxidion as well as the rest of the hilt. The place that held the pupil remained closed and was somewhat smaller as if it had reduced to the size of a normal, human eye.

_"Exactly. So now what you're gonna do isn't so impossible, now, is it?"_ She heard those words reverberate in her mind and smirked at the thought of them. That was when the blade itseld shone in an impressive shine.

"Nah, it's not impposible." She slashed away at the new rapier and revealed that the blade itself was now thinner and was a soft blue color with the edges glimmer in a white spectrum. Along the downside of the blade was a pattern of black flowers and thorns carved delicately upon the blade. The top side remained clean but for the shape of a heart surrounded by tiny buds of flowers carved in white. "It's just gonna be as hard as hell."

"You're naive, as the boy said. Your believes will land you dead one of these days. And that day will be today!" she cried as she wielded both whips towards her.

The carvings on her blade. Flowers. Blooms. And thorns. "Flourish. Mangeta Cosmos." She slashed away at the mutt to create a wave of energy that chased after her. The magenta-colored petals that emerged along with the energy seemed to have edge to them. When the energy hit the mutt the petals spread about and landed in closeness to it. The majority cut every surface they got to like razors. Others, at contact, attached themselves to her like glue. "Now busrt in bright color! Azule Tempest!" At her word the petals ignited in a blue blaze engulfing the mutt in all their fury. She cried in pain and writhed to the floor as the blaze engulfed her.

_"Go kid!"_

"Rest in peace," she mumbled before leaving the charred reamains of the Lost Soul before heading towards Kanda and Alma.

* * *

><p>"You're quite useless for being her knight," Prometheus said stepping on Janus' limp body, his hand holding onto Thanatos and for dear life. "You know the more you use Thanatos the more your body will fail to heal. From the three Fates you are the only child who has correctly fused with Progenitor without mutations. You are the future that Arthur sought but nevertheless are meant to be destroyed."<p>

"You shouldn't worry so much about me," Janus said with a cocky smile. From a black vortex that appeared behind Janus came out the two-headed mutt that had guided Celia through the Ark. Shrouded in its cloak it attacked Prometheus. He, however, had no worry with it. Stabbing it once rendered it hopeless. He stared at it as it writed in the floor. He finally decided to simply stab a single dagger and leave it there. The cloak turned to ashes and exposed its body. It stood up once again but had already been changed sides. "What?"

"Peculiar, isn't it?" he said with a smirk. "It seems that one thing that the virus gave me was the power to overthrow the control on Lost Souls." A ray caught his eye and brought his attention towards the place where Kanda and Allen were fighting while Celia watched. "I guess I could put to good use the Lost Soul you've created. Then again it's created from children's souls so don't know how much it can do. I guess it'll need some help with its strength." He snapped his fingers as the dagger sunk into the mutt making it mutate further. "Ta-ta," he mocked leaving towards Celia.

"N-No..." he mumbled barely able to turn onto his stomach to see the scene. He glanced over at the spirit stone and grasped it in his hands only to snatch away the encrusted crystal sphere of a redder color.

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><p>Climbing over a mount of rubble she finally got a glance at the issue she had left behind yet not the same fight she had been absent from. Kanda was in a rampage, out of control and weakened because of Alma's latest attack. Allen had just stopped Alma from shooting at Kanda again. When Kanda fell Alma caught Allen off guard and caught him with his tail.<p>

"Allen!" she yelled in concern for the younger boy as she slid down the steep slope. Finally getting there she missed what Alma had just spoken but got there to see him fall as the tail slid off from Allen.

"Allen, are you okay?" she called kneeling before Alma but talking to him.

"Y-Yeah," he mumbled.

She turned to Alma about to ask the same question but was cut short before the regeneration seal showed in his chest. "A-Alma?" They could hear the Earl's voice but Alma didn't care. He crawled his way but couldn't move for Allen and Celia were holding him from how weak he'd gotten. He was crying out and even when he was so weakened all he wanted was for Yu to die.

Allen couldn't keep it in and yelled at him for wanting to kill Kanda even after everything he'd seen. That was when that murderous intent sipped into both their senses allowing them to barely leap away from it, Celia alone while Allen got Alma away. Both landed and saw what Kanda had turned out to be. He was out of his mind and his tattoo was already wide spread across his sholder and chest.

"What's happened to him?" Celia mumbled confused and feeling something else that was quite familiar but couldn't place it.

"I get it now," Allen said with a small smile. "I kept trying to figure out what you were thinking but you're really not thinking about anything are you?"

"That's why!" Celia said getting what the familiar feeling was. Fear. She felt scared because of Kanda. He wasn't thinking about anything and that only augmented his anger. "That's...just not like him at all." Allen was chiding off Kanda like there was no tomorrow. And everything that Celia heard was true. Kanda was hurting too much to face Alma directly. That was when Kanda gripped Mugen tighter as feathers began to grow from his palm. That was very much familiar to Celia for she had done that throughout the years of her childhood.

"Celia," Allen's whisper took her by surprise while Kanda was being overtaken by his rage. He was handling Alma's weak body with care as he laid him down. Rushing over to his side she helped him and sat beside Alma. Kanda was still ranting away blaming it all on Allen as if all that had happened was because of him.

"What are you doing?" Celia yelled over the crackling energy that Crown Clown emanated as it was invoked. Both powers clashed with great prowess and kept on going. "No, you guys. Please, stop," Celia couldn't stop herself from crying out to them even when those cries only came out as whimpers. She turned towards Alma when she felt unusual shifting and saw him crawling towards them. "You shouldn't be-"

"Shut up!" he yelled at her getting himself up. "Don't stop them... We're out of time..."

"Out of time?" she mumbled and gasped at what she saw. Alma was crying but...why? The crying that had taken her by surprise gave him enough time to shoot another ray from his hand hitting Allen and leaving an openning for Kanda to attack. They kept clashing against each other until one blow became the most fatal of all.

"Allen..." she mumbled seeing Mugen's tip exit from Allen's abdomen. **"Allen!"**

"Hey there pretty girl," she turned over with teary eyes only to face daggers stabbing her arms, legs, and body when they were thrown at her. A finally one got her on the gut as Prometheus pushed her away from Alma and into a far off rubble. Stepping back he saw as she fell to the ground coughing out blood. "Sad to say but your knight in shinning armor wasn't that much of a fight. He's specially weak now that he's commited himself to you. Seems like Innocence really does weaken the virus as a whole."

"W-What did you do...to him?" she coughed out barely having enough strength left over to sit up.

"Oh nothing," Prometheus called nonchalantly with a smirk. "Just some limb tearing and what not. Enough to leave him pre-tty unconscious from the pain." He glanced over at where Allen and Kanda were now, Allen having already changed in skin color. "But I think you should be more worried about Walker. I think that boy has changed in more way than one."

She looked their way only to see Alma up ready to attack a dumbfounded Kanda but no Allen in sight. "Where...?"

"I don't think that's much of your concern," Prometheus said snapping his fingers. Celia turned back only to see the two-headed Lost Soul appear from a vortex but without a clothe to cover its body. What was in sight was only a deformed body walking on its hands. "Now, dear, let's continue to tear you apart until you decide to leave with me."

A sudden light shrouded his face and the mutts making them cover their faces. Celia faced the fight one more time to see a blinding light emanating from a sphere that came inbetween Alma and Kanda. And inside that sphere of light was Allen's body.

She felt the healing happen and take its toll. With the last of spurt of stamina she had got up and ran up to it and reached just in time to feel the burst of power that exploded as the light escaped him. It threw them three away with the sheer might. She landed not far from where she'd left but noticed that Prometheus was gone and all that was left was the mutt that rampaged away at the rubble finding nothing else to hurt. She avoided what could have been a dire hit only to feel the ground rumbling beneath her feet. Turning to Allen she saw the shadow of what was behind it all.

"Noah." The words came effortlessly for it was her old conscious, from her days as the Apocryphos they all spoke of, that had talked through her.

_"Des...troy."_ She turned over only to get hit directly by the massive hand that smashed her to the floor. _"Des...troy. Giver...Wisdom..."_

"The Giver of...Wisdom," she mumbled recognizing the name.

_"The Giver of Wisdom is the last sacrifice to the 21 Sacrements. It's not really a sacrifice but why would it mention you?" _

Albus too seemed dumbfounded by the mutts spoken words. Then it opened its mouth again letting slime out, _"Chaos must...die."_

Chaos was...

"Allen!" she bellowed and kicked the mutt away. The victim for Chaos had been Allen but he'd survive. They wanted another victim in his stead.

_"And since you're the one to give the sacrifices... It seems they want you to choose."_

"What?" she whispered utterly confused.

_"Janus' Lost Soul is a Seal Keeper. It makes sure that any rituals done be completed. All that would be left to give would be Chaos to the one born from Mother. Allen's out of the picture; he can't be sacrificed twice. It wants one that personifies the motive."_

The mutt raised one of its hands and pointed behind her. A bit hesitant she turned to see that Allen had returned to normal and was looking at Alma who was in Kanda's arms, feeble as could be.

_"Eye...of Dante..." _the mutt barely got out.

_"The Eye of Dante is an eye of truth. It wants you to see something. Question is: do you want to?"_

"Show me." There was no hesitation in her voice but something nearing confidence. Albus followed her orders and channeled the power of the Eye of Dante towards her own. According to Albus it was an eye of truth, it would allow her to see what the humans' eyes could not. She closed them briefly and opened them only to gasp almost dropping Xiao.

_"Now...Giver sees... Chaos must...eliminated..."_ the mutt said lowering its arm and hardening only to vansih in dust. Even when corrupted it maintain its purpose faithfully.

_"Who is that?"_ Albus' voice couldn't reach her either. She was shocked beyond began to stain her eyes as they rolled down her face.

"Alma, you're..." Allen whispered understanding and seeing what Celia did.

**"Don't say it!"**

"Alma is..." Celia whispered unable to finish the sentence. She had seen it all, the same things that Allen had. Alma was the soul of the woman Kanda loves. The tears overflowed from her eyes even more at that thought.

"Sad, isn't it?" Prometheus came back into view after dealing with the pest that had taken him away. "To see the man you love hold the person he's been looking for and so desperately in love with in his arms without he, himself, knowing so. Tell me something...is your heart torn apart? Is your little heart broken?

She didn't answer. She didn't want sad part wasn't that it was broken. Something broken could be fixed or replaced. The truth was simple and clean.

It had completely shattered.

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><p><strong>Guys... I'm a little sick so I won't be uploading for a while :( I'm getting this out now so that you guys have something while I'm out. <strong>

**But I'll wrap this whole story before summer ends that for sure :)**

**So hoped you liked it and leave reviews please! :D**


	47. Retrace XLV

**Well I'm a bit better now so Imma right more for you guys~ :D**

**First I'm giving thanks to these people:  
>-to I'm Plotting Something Evil for catching up and the bunch of review she left~ :D<br>-and Jeanny Foster~ thanks a lot for the review and I'm better so this is for you guys! :)**

**Now let's get to this~**

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><p><strong>Retrace XLV: And From What is Left...<strong>

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><p>"You took me down without her noticing," Prometheus said a couple of minutes after he'd summoned the curropted Seal Keeper to attack Celia. "I thought you would have already given up. I mean your injuries won't heal anymore."<p>

"I won't ever...give up..." Janus mumbled holding onto the staff with both his hands. He'd caught Prometheus by lashing the chain his way and getting him trapped in it. Janus barely stood before the chained Prometheus who would only smirk.

"You won't, huh?" Prometheus said with a sneer. "Am I going to have to kill you to get to her then?"

"I told you before 'over my dead body'!" he called charging up to him, aiming for a kick but hitting only air. A strand of knives got to his side throwing him away like a rag doll. What he held in his right hand toppled a few meters away from him.

Prometheus yawned mockingly, "You're pathetic to say the least. I thought the First Fate, the great Reaper of Souls, would have better fighting skills than this. I expected you to have much better ethics, too, besides protecting a girl who doesn't know her own values."

"She has the greatest one of all," he mumbled trying to reach out for the small crystal ball that had falling from his grasp but Prometheus got a hold of it first under his foot.

"First you got found by 'mommy' and forced under to work for her unconditionally under the veil of a fake mother-and-son relationship," he said stepping harder on the ball.

"Stop..." he mumbled out of energy or strength to retribute.

"But your reign as her favorite's over," he said making cracks on the crystal ball. "The Third's life will be blemished with the virus soon enough. As for the Second-" he looked over at where Celia stood staring at the Seal Keeper who opened his big mouth about the Sacrements. That thing's conviction didn't change even after being corrupted. The frown left just as fast as it came, replaced by a smirk; this could actually be convenient. "I wonder, for her, what will happen first. Will the memories she didn't want kill her or will she beat them to it herself?" He lifted his foot from the crystal and began walking away with a dagger brandished on his left hand, "But as always there's a third option too."

Janus laid there unable to move any longer and reached out to touch the cracked crystal ball that was flickering with light yearning to be set free. "You can't transfer into my body. I'm already done for." It kept blinking as more cracks came on their own. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of this. The soul trapped in there was starting to break free from its prison because of the ruptures in it.

"But she can into mine." Janus couldn't lift his head but he scoffed at hearing his voice.

"I thought you didn't want anything to do with this," Janus said as he felt strong arms lift him and place him to sit upright. He could see Kingsley Everlott clearly now as he picked up the cracked crystal ball that shined in his palm.

"I'm their father. I may have acted selfishly but that doesn't unburden me of my responsabilities as such. Now, how do we free her?"

"Break it with Innocence," Janus answered. "Yours, is it...?"

"It's too damaged from the virus to work as a breaking point for this prison she's in," Kingsley said with a sigh. He threw it in the air and caught it, having an idea, "But any Innocence would work, wouldn't it?"

"Any as long as it breaks it," Janus agreed. But before Kingsley could put his plan in action his eyes were blinding by a bright light. "What is that?"

"Alma Karma!" Kingsley yelled over the roaring that had come with the light. "He's self-destructing!"

"Get Celia out of there!" Janus called out to their father.

"I can't! She's going right at it!"

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><p>Celia was brought down completely by Prometheus' words but the sudden flare of light caught her by surprise emptying her mind completely. It was Alma at his last attempt to kill Kanda. He was going to self-destruct to finish what he started.<p>

"No!" she yelled as she sprinted off towards them but a pair of strong arms caught her by the waist, pulling her back even when she struggled so fiercely. "Let go of me! Alma's-"

"I can't!" Allen yelled back trying to get her out of the explosion's range. Before either could say another word, it exploded. Allen tried his best to cover Celia but couldn't do much as it already was. Celia got up barely able to breathe normally while Allen got up getting off from her. He suddenly jerked his skin changing again.

"Allen..." she said concerned.

"Dammit," he scowled as he crawled his way over to the crater that had been left while Celia followed.

"Is that...?" Celia said with tears stinging her eyes, threathing to come out.

She was facing the same way Allen was but he was the first to call out, "Kan-!" But all were in vain for as the dust cloud dispersed it revealed Kanda, or what was left of him, fall down to the ground literally brekaing from the attack. "Kanda!" he called getting there even when he was so tattered. Celia couldn't move anymore beyond that point. She was too broken already to continue on. By then, not even shame or her own usual pride stopped her from crying although those two were shown when she withheld any noise and cried silently.

Alma had gone as far as become an Akuma to keep his true form -the soul of the woman Kanda loves- a secret from him and anyone else."But..." the tears were wetting her nose as she looked down and wet the floor with them. "But this is...so unfair. This...shouldn't have happened."

_"I'm sorry, Celia." _Even Albus seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation.

"Why..." Allen's strong voice made her look up and let her tears trail down her neck. "What will happen to Kanda? Kanda who spent the last nine years knowing nothing! What will happen to Kanda's feelings?"Allen's words only made Celia feel even worse than before. The only victims in this were those two. Star-crossed from the start of everything.

That's when Alma's faint whisper caught her ears. Every word Alma spoke was with every little bit of strength he had left. He didn't want Kanda to know that he was 'that person' because then he would stop searching. "The promise we made that day... As long as he is bound by the promise he made with 'that person', he will forever be hers."

This one phrase tore at Celia in more than one way as she clutched her chest with both her hands. "Stop..." she cried to herself. She wasn't the one hurt; this wasn't about her. They were the ones who were the hurt ones. But then why was her heart aching so much that it felt it was just going to tear apart?

"It hurts doesn't it?" a soft voice, she couldn't or wouldn't acknoledge, drifted into her ears. She felt a hand on her shoulder, a man's: Prometheus. "Tell me, wouldn't it be better if you could just forget all the pain. Just like you did before."

"It hurts so much," she cried softly. She saw Allen saw as Alma began to crawl away. "I don't...want to remember."

"Come with me then," he said softly in her ear with another hand on her own that laid upon her chest. "Madame will grant you that wish. She'll break the links and then those chains won't ever be able to recconect again like they've done today. She will do what you want. She will 'erase' your memory."

"It hurts too much," she repeated as she lowered her face. "Because all along, he was the one person that I..."

"He's the one person... I didn't want to lose!" Alma's cries were overheard above the silence making Celia flinched. How could two people feel the same thing towards one person? This one question resonated beyond her mind trying to make sense of all the madness surrounding her. She unclutched her chest letting Prometheus' hands slip off as her own went towards her head.

"Then let us leave, Celia," Prometheus said offering his hand to her. She glanced up at it and then up once more towards Allen who's just picked up the cracking leftovers of Alma Karma. She stood up slowly and took his hand.

_"Are you giving up already? C'mon, Sis, I thought you were stronger than that."_

"Good girl," he said with a smirked. He turned his back to her to open a vortex with his free hand but when he felt a sudden pain on through his back he grimaced and glanced down to see the blade that pierced his lower abdomen. "You little bitch..." he spat as a trail of blood came down his mouth.

She sneered, "I'm heartbroken not stupid. Why in the hell would I go with you of all people?" She slapped his hand off and drew Xiao out of him while stepping back to let him fall to his knees from the deep wound. Holding it he turned to her with a scowl.

"You'll regret this!" he bellowed getting up and ready to attack her but surprised when she saw a couple of shadows behind her.

"Not that sly anymore, are you? You little popper," Janus called from Celia's left actually looking better than he had. His wounds were gone, scarred away and he held his staff over his right shoulder.

"You're alright!" Celia called overjoyed.

"But how?" Prometheus groaned staggering back.

"Making the virus react isn't that hard," another voice called to her left. She turned to see a smriking man with long lucious blonde white hair and her amethyst eyes. "All I had to do was cut him a little with Innocence and a little help from my youngest daughter didn't hurt." he held his left arm low having the blade already part of it.

"King! You mean-" she called confused and shocked.

_"Hee hee~" _a melodious and significant chuckle came to her ears as an echo from the back of her head. _"They've freed my soul but I won't be leaving for my body just yet. I have the greatest healing power from us four. I'll be with you all to greaten that; not in body but in mind and soul."_

"Alice..." Celia mumbled overjoyed clutching her chest tightly. She turned to Kingsley, "And what's an old man like you doing here?"

"Wouldn't leave my daughters fight alone for anything in the world. What kind of 'old man' would I be if I had?" he said with a wink. She chuckled at his own slyness.

"This is absurd!" Prometheus bellowed motioning his hand and a whole army of dog mutts appeared behind him. "You fools! Kill them!" He leaped back disappearing from their sight into a vortex leaving them with the packs of rabid mutts.

"Stand back!" Janus called while both men stood up and became her barrier.

"We'll take care of them," King said calmly.

"But-"

"Dark matter!" Celia turned at hearing Allen's voice and saw that Alma's body had broken down and the dark matter that had remained in him was begining to bloat up into the sky.

"Go!" Janus said blocking three mutts from getting to them. He tilted his head and smirked, "We have it here. Your friends need you. Now!" She took in a breath before nodding and heading their way.

* * *

><p>"Those bastards will pay," Prometheus mumbled getting away fromt he battlefield now that there was no barrier. He had been wounded and the virus wasn't healing him up either. He walked away from the vortex only to fall from his anxiety. Halting his fall with his arms he didn't eat dirt but instead saw a pair of white laces slippers in his way. Looking up, he couldn't believe what he saw. "You're-!"<p>

"Mistress did not want to send me so early into battle but because you foolish Paladins didn't do their work right. Clara Hearst was weak and got beaten by Evernly. Janus turned his back on Mistress and decided to join Evernly. Now you have gone crazed with power and have forgotten your objective." She pulled her rapier from her sheath and examined the blade diligently before brandishing it his way, "You have become a nuisance for my Mistress now and as her Second Brigadier I will not tolerate failure in her name."

"W-What are you going to do!" he called crawling away left too wounded from the Innocence wound he got from Celia.

"What I was ordered to." She lifted her rapier and even though he tried to escape she did a clean cut down and straight across his neck, severing his head from his shoulders. As the head rolled away the body fell heavy on the ground. Striking the blade away she cleaned the blade from the blood that had smeared on it. "Filfth will not become a nuisance to our Mistress. As long as she so orders it, us, the Six God Brigadiers, will fight for her until the world she envisioned becomes a reality."

* * *

><p>The fight continued on and it was getting to be too many to withstand by themselves. Janus turned back just in time to catch a couple more and throw them away but a couple more getting past him. "Shit."<p>

"You were saying about having it under control?" Kingsley called fromt he bunch that had caught him and surrounded him.

"Celia!" he called to her.

Already some way from them she turned to see the mutts rapidly gaining on her. She didn't have time to deal with them so she just ran on. Alma had already gone past her reach and Allen had gotten a hold of the Earl. She turned just in time to see the mutts leap for an attack with their mouths wide open. With Xiao up she managed to drive the blade clean across their mouths. The leap only gave more magnitude to her blow making the blade go cleanly across their bodies, cutting them in half as they hardened before they touched the floor and got drifted away by the wind.

She turned to see Allen in the air and with someone in his arms. She gasped at seeing finally who it was, "Kanda!"

"Joyous moment, is it not? Seeing your beloved alive I mean," a female voice called making her whirl around. There on the top of the hill stood a little girl with long blonde hair neatly done in two ponytails with a gorgeous hat sitting on the top of her head adorning it. Her outfit was like a princess' but less frilly and her shoulders showed with the low sleeve kind of top she had and a lace choker. She had pretty white slippers laced up to just below her knees. White gloved-hands held a thin rapier and sheath in black. Her blue eyes stared down at Celia with boredom. She yawned once, her eyes teary and using her hand to cover her mouth.

"What's a kid like you doing here? Got lost or something?" Celia said getting to a stance with her rapier. The girl was short and probably younger than Celia herself but something remain unseen but she could feel something murderous behind those dull blue orbs.

"I am no 'kid'. My name is Khalia. Khalia Sherstone. Unlike the idiotic two that my Mistress picked from the streets I do not hide behind false names. Now," she brandished her rapier. "I do hope you are a better opponent than Gino Smite was. Even though I was ordered to dispose of you all, I thought he would be a greater challenge from the three."

"Prometheus? What did you do?" she asked trying to keep calm.

"I disposed of him, of course. And now it seems to be your turn, Celia Evernly." Khalia glanced Celia's way with her rapier brandished and saw Celia's. "I do hope you are skilled with your weapon. I have always admired a good swordsman who can sustain a fight with me."

"We'll see," Celia called. She could hear something from behind her but to turn about when facing such a puzzling persona would mean certain doom. She didn't mind it though. She trusted Allen would have it all under control. Instead she charged lightly up to Khalia striking a frontal attack against her which she simply blocked with a swift move of her wrist.

"Are you underestimating me?" she questioned still having a bloackade up. Pushing her away Celia landed only to see Khalia leap and land a hit she blocked. But even when it was blocked her feet sunk into the ground. Khalia had her whole body from the ground and was putting little pressure from her body. It was more the magnitude of the attack alone that had pushed her beyond. "I despise people that look down upon me." She finally landed on the floor disengaging their clash only to land another that sent Celia some meters away.

She wasn't wrong, this girl was powerful. She stood up quickly expecting another frontal attack but was stunned to see Khalia admiring her blade. "I get bored very easily Evernly. When I do I tend to be very rash about my decisions. For example," she brandished her blade again glancing at Celia. "I was ordered to bring you alive and only get rid of Kingsley Everlott, Janus Evernly, and Gino Smite. However, right this moment I am getting rather bored with your poor technique. You should have focused more on learning how to control your weapon better. It's neither elaborate nor beautiful. And thus you have led me to my boredom. And I just might acidentally overdo it and kill you."

Celia gulped at the bluntness. "I-I'm pretty sure your Mistress wants me alive, doesn't she?"

"Yes, however," she said with a far off look. "If I just break you down till your only on the brink of death that wouldn't be disobeying her orders. So I'll be doing just that."

"Not on our watch!" Khalia's eyes widened in the slightest but she leaped just in time to avoid the double attack that Janus and Kingsley landed on the ground instead of the girl.

"Damn she's fast," Janus snarled spitting out blood and turning to face her.

"Are you okay?" King asked getting a nod from Celia. That's when she heard something unusual making them all, Khalia included, glance up into the sky. Celia, ignoring the rest, ran up to the highest part of the rubble to see them. Kanda had just reached Alma's dying form in an embrace and Allen had opened the Ark's Gate. They went quickly in through the Gate and Allen destroyed it quickly after.

"Good job, Allen," Celia mumbled.

"Allen Walker, the 14th, is that not him?" Khalia asked getting Kingsley and Janus' attention back. "I despise Noah as well however they are not my target. I must eliminate my targets and retrieve my objective. Kill Janus Evernly and Kingsley Everlott; retrieve Celia Evernly."

"Really now?" Kingsley said with a sly tone to his voice. "Well that will be a set back for you since we're here to protect her. She's not going anywhere on our guard."

"So you can forget about taking her away," Janus called.

"Who ever said that she needed to be taken away to be retrieved?" Khalia inquired and lifted her left free hand with her palm facing out. "Besides, you aren't the only telekinetic person in this world, Janus Evernly."

"What!" Janus called and was about to strike her down but got stopped after hearing a swift cut of air followed by the petrifying shout of Allen Walker.

**"Celia!"**

Both turned to see Celia, standing on the highest place staring down at herself with a hand at the piece of Innocence that had been driven through her back and upward towards her chest. Mugen, which had been left behind, was what Khalia had controlled with her telekinesis and had driven up the unguarded girl. Blood came fast and dampened her body. The impact, having been too much for her drove her to the floor fast. With that, those who saw led out a terrifying shriek of relization.

_**"CELIA!"**_

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><p><strong>How was it? I'm feeling much better after writing this. Hope you like it! <strong>

**OMIGAWSH! D: What's gonna happen to Celia! You'll see next time.**

**Please review~ :9**


	48. Retrace XLVI

**OMIGAWSH! XD **

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**I love you guys so much~ This makes me extra happy! And because this story reached over the 100 reviews I'm having a wittle surprise at the ending of it all. :) I've been planning it for a while now and when I announce it I hope you guys are happy with it. **

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**For now let's continue cuz I'm pretty sure you guys want to know what happens since I left it in such a cliff hanger the other time ;D Enjoy~**

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><p><strong>XLVI: And so...<strong>

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><p>Celia ran up to the highest part to observe as it all unraveled. Allen letting Kanda and what remained of Alma escape through a Gate somewhere only he knew and Allen making the Gate disappear in pieces.<p>

"Good job, Allen," Celia mumbled. She could hear Janus and Kingsley battling with Khalia for a brief time. Celia only watched as Bak's spirit stone break and Fo disappear leaving the curropted Tokusa to continue its wake of destruction. She took a step forth but was stopped by a strange force that she soon recognized.

_"You can't go there!"_ Alice yelled from inside her head.

"Why not!" she screached lowly. "Allen needs help! He can stop Tokusa and I need to help him!"

_"Khalia's here. That means that Madame has begun to move seriously. Sending a God Brigadier out is as if she'd send out a hitman after you. You need to leave! Now!"_

"Let's deal with Tokusa now and with that brat later!" she hissed trying to break free of Alice's hold on her.

**_"Listen to your damn brat sister,_ _Celia!"_ **It had been Albus this time. Both agreed on attacking Khalia better than helping safe Tokusa.

"No!" she called shutting both of them. "I'm the one in control. I decide. If I don't try to him his life, I won't be able to safe any others!" When Allen got caught by the bunch of seals from Link she saw her oppotunity to help.

However all voices along with her efforts were stopped short by the sudden pain that she felt coming from her body. It was like a shock had run from the sole of her feet to her brain short circuiting all nerves it touched. Her limbs, because of it, were slow and barely moveable but she somehow managed to arch her neck down. A blade ran through from behind her lower back and was thrusted upwards making the tip exit through her chest, ironically through the diamond-shaped scar.

Her hands trembled as they reached slowly to the blade that had pierced through her. Even when the blood covered it she could recognize it wherever. It was Mugen but...how did it happen? Kanda wasn't there anymore. Even if someone could wield it without using its power, she would've felt someone approach her. Instead it was a silent blow one that had damaged too much of her. Struck by numbness and shock she fell to her knees unoblivious that the wild Tokusa was approaching her.

"Let's get her out of here," her ears barely caught King's voice above the racket. Her body was numb too much to even feel the hands that carefully yet quickly hoisting her up. She wince and moaned barely recognizing her own voice as the one who had picked her up moved the sword ever so slightly. As if nothing the two brought her a good measure away from the fight that was enraging.

Consciousness finally came to her mind. "Put me down."

Janus was surprise to even hear her, expecting Celia to have fainted from the pain. Slowly and carefully he placed her legs on the floor but kept her upper body from touching the ground seeing as Mugen was there.

"Help me get this out of her," Janus told King. Seeing no threat nearby he appraoched the two.

"K-Khalia..." Celia's voice hoarsely got out.

"She's gone, sweety," Kingsley spoke softly to his daughter inspecting the wound inflicted on her. "She manipulated that young man's Innocence and hit you with it." So that's why she didn't feel anyone come near her.

"You've gotta get this out of her," Janus insisted really getting tired of him not doing anything. Kingsley brought his hand behind Celia's back and grabbed the hilt only to send a shock through both their bodies. He let go feeling his hand as if it were burning off. Celia's breathing hastened along with her heartbeat.

"I-It's no use," Kingsley stuttered unable to comprehend what happened. "It's reacting because it doesn't want to be withdrawn."

"B-But if it stays she's going to-"

"Leave it." Celia's voice was strong despite the open injury that mostly likely was piercing her lungs. "It's hopeless anyway."

"No. Don't say that!" Janus cried out to her. "You're not going to die."

" 'Course not you idiot," she spat out with a smirk on her face. "I'm just gonna go somewhere for awhile."

"No." Janus turned to Kingsley who had drawn out that one syllable. He followed his sight to Celia's feet and his own widened in shock. Her legs had started to harden into white crystals. Those crystals cracked and broke off getting blown away by the wind. The virus hardened and turned to dust when the host was dying.

Celia let out a low chuckle throwing her head back. "Curious enough, though, I can't feel anything. I suppose I'm glad, this means that none of the other Lost Souls suffered when I killed them."

"Don't be stupid!" Janus hissed, gritting his teeth. "You're not..." but the tears that had welled up in his eyes had beaten him to the word as they spilt on her.

"You're gonna cry now? Please, I don't wish to say farewells with you frownin' like that," she said with a wry smile. Janus couldn't help himself when he wipped the tears away; he felt like they were seven again and she had just been caught trying to harm himself. "I'm glad that Alice got away though. She's gonna be waking up soon. Atsu won't be alone for long." There was a sigh of relief that came from her.

"You sound like you expected this to happen," Kingsley said kneeling beside her.

"Truthfully," she said seeing him from her peripheral, "I can't say I wasn't. A God Brigadier came after all." She scoffed and looked at Janus who couldn't seem to stop weeping. "Seems your sweet ol' hag just got serious."

"She'll pay for this," Janus mumbled through his tears.

"Oh please," Celia said with a smile. "Don't sweat about this. And don't you dare go after her by yourself. You'll only die in vain." Her lower body had already crystalized and had blown away and it had already started to eat its way up. "Promise me you won't go."

"I...I promise," he mumbled lowering his face.

"And could you also do me a favor?" she asked softly feeling the strength she had before begining to ebb away. "Atsu's a knucklehead quite like him. So would you look over him for me? That'll be grand."

When Janus had no more words for her Kingsley answered. "We will. Don't worry, I won't do anything to him."

"Had a change of heart?" she asked the crystal reaching her chest and beginning to encase her instead of being blown away.

"More than likely," he said with a chuckle. "That's quite somehting though, you sounded just like her."

Celia chuckled, "I would've liked to have met her just once." She rested her head on Janus' arm when she felt her eyes starting to get heavy. "She sounds like a nice person to hang with. I guess we'd have a lot in common." The crystals went for the rest of her body. Managing barely to lift her hand she placed it on his cheek, "It's too late for me to undo my mistakes. I don't think they had any amend to begin with. However...at least this ties it up for the ones...I took away too soon from their time." Her hand slipped off but was caught fiercely by Janus', letting sparkles of dust fly from the catch.

"Are you..." Kingsley's was surprised to hear his voice come along with the sudden reaction. "...angry?"

"Nah," she smiled a little smile, "Just...sad." The crystals encased what was left it hardened and broke away leaving only the wind to take it and Mugen to fall to the floor with sheer remnants of what had been Celia. He tightened his hand in a fist, holding the one thing he had managed to save of her. Beyond that, nothing was left; not even a body for them to bury.

Janus stood up leaving the blade were it landed. He looked up with reddened eyes towards the battlefield. The Earl had just taken the Third Exorcists away and order, or what little remained, was starting to be restored. He turned away from them, "And I don't what you will be doing but-" he motioned his hand away to open a vortex, "I won't stay to be persecuted by the Order."

"I'll be leaving with you, my nephew." He looked down upon them as well before turning to him again, "I don't wish to be persecuted either. Besides I've been escaping from them for almost a decade now. You'll need my help to stay under the radar."

"I'm good at hiding from the Order," he snapped at the grown man.

"Not from your own mother, you are not," he added with a smirk. "Believe me, us parents just know."

"Then it seems that I'll be needing your assistance." Both of them left through it as it disappeared.

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><p>Celia opened her eyes to find herself standing in pure darkness. Her footsteps left marks of dazzling purple snow marks.<p>

"Why..." she didn't have to raise her head to know who had spoken. Nevertheless she did and there Alice stood with her face lowered trying to hide her tears. "Why didn't you listen to us?" She raised her head mad and sad at the same time, "Why didn't you leave?"

"He needed me," she said with a wry smile. "Allen needed me. I was willing to help."

"But because of that you- you're-!" she couldn't dare finish the sentence. Celia only approached her and embraced her tightly letting her cry it all out.

"It's okay. You're going to be all right," she said stroking her head.

"H-How..."

"You'll see," she said with a soft voice while closing her own eyes. She looked up briefly and saw the outline of the white door. It was calling for her, for Alice. "Hey, I may not be there for now but I can promise you that we'll meet again just like we did before."

"You found me before," Alice said, her cries reduced to sobs. "But how will you now?"

"Just like I always have," she whispered taking Alice from the embrace and arms length. "I found you because your heart and my heart are always stay together. Till then-" she harshly pushed Alice through the door and watched her fall down back to where she belonged.

"Celia!"

"Goobye. Just for now," she whispered and smiling at her. The door's sides came together and the single thread of light disappeared leaving only darkness.

Darkness was her only companion now. She hugged herself for wamrth but not even that seemed enough. Seeing no point in staying still she began to walk. Her footsteps left behind that trail of purple marks long the floor but disappeared after time making her uncertain of which ground she had already been to.

It was pointless. Was she to walk this dark plane forever more? Was this the destiny of those who are deemed those 'Apocryphos'?

After walking for what seemed to be hours she began to feel numb and tired. She noticed that by then her footsteps had become silent along with her breathing that she had once been able to hear. Tired out of her wits she finally sat down and laid down on the floor which strangely warm. What was even more strange was that that warmth was beginning to cover her body in a soft blanket making her even more drowsy.

"I guess...this won't be such a bad place to sleep."

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><p>Her eyes fluttered opened and all she felt was a warm bed underneath her figure. Confused she got up letting the sheets that covered her fall off her upper body. Looking around she finds herself in a small humble room. A basin with water and a rag sits beside the bed on a table. A wardrobe and a dresser sit opposite to the bed. And a door is to the wall next to the table.<p>

_"Weird,"_ she thought getting up and throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. _"Last time I fell asleep I...Where was I?"_

She held her head and shook it getting the thought out of it. She got up and walked to the wardrobe and put on a simple black summer dress trimmed in lilac and a straw hat from the rack plus some sandals. Walking out of the room she came into a kitchen. Not really hungry she exited through the front door and to a great lawn with wheat growing up to where the eye could see. The gentle breeze swayed them this way and that and made her hold fast to her hat.

Looking ahead she saw someone standing near a dead and leafless tree. She sighed for some reason and began approaching the person. Soon she noticed it was a woman some inches taller than her and with dark hair braided to the side and over her shoulder. She seemed to be enjoying the breeze as she leaned against the charred tree even when her pretty white dress would be getting black on that side.

"Hey there," Celia said with a gleeful smile on her face.

"You woke up," a gentle voice came from the woman who didn't turn but simple cocked her head to the side before looking straight ahead. "I'm relieved. You seemed to be sleeping so peacefully. I thought perhaps a little too peacefully."

This made Celia snicker, "Don't worry. I'm not going to die off that easily. Not yet that is."

"I would belive that to be your way of comforting my anxiousness," the woman answered with a chuckle.

"Well," Celia's grunt gave it away to the woman that she had begun to climb the charred tree. Unlike her Celia's dress wouldn't show charcoal stains. "It's what I do, right? I make your life easier since I'm here." She got to the top and looked down at the woman unable to see her face clearly from the distance she was at. She looked beyond the horizon but could only see the wheat dancing in the wind. She sighed in great relief.

"You have made my life much easier, true. You have also made it much more humbler and much less lonely," the woman called to her watching what Celia was.

"See!" Celia said with a smirk. "We're perfect for each other!"

"That may be but..." the woman's words were drowned by the sudden gust that took Celia's straw hat for a trip. She glanced back watching as it danced away towards the house. Her long hair brushed her sides as she turned away from it. She figured she would find another one.

"I'm sorry _!" Celia noticed that her voice didn't pronounce the name she meant to say but she couldn't figure what it was in her head either so she let it be and called out again. "I didn't hear you! What did you say?"

"Are you happy here, Celia?" the woman asked once the wind calmed itself down.

"Of course I am!" Celia said swinging herself from te branch of the tree. She jumped down from the branch and landed perfectly in a squat in the patch of earth that was not infested with wheat. "After all I'm with you. What else could I ever want?" She twirled on her heels as she got up, with her hands held behind her back, and with a grand smile faced the woman. The woman smiled a wry smiled with her small but full lips. Hers eyes the color of dark rubies glimmered in the sunshine. Her hair gave out its dark chocolate shade with the sun. Her skin was pale which surprised Celia at times since they've been living there for sometime now, her much longer than Celia.

"But...am I enough?" she asked and sat down next to the tree.

"Of course you are," Celia said getting a little worried about her way of speaking. "I've been happier than I've ever been in my life here with you. Life is peaceful, everyday is bliss. If your not enough then, pray, tell what it is I could possibly be missing?" The question came out of Celia's slip as pure sardonic and rhetorical.

Nevertheless, she found reason to answer it seriously. "Your friends."

The sole word made something snap in Celia's mind. _"My...friends."_ She shook her head and chuckled nervously, "Y-You're funny _. I've never been out of this place. Ever since I can remember I've been here with you. What friends would I have when there aren't any people for miles and miles away?"

"Have you really fallen so deep in slumber that...you have already forgotten about them?" the woman spoke.

"You're scaring me a little now," Celia said chuckling still but even that faded when she wouldn't take those words back. Celia was half expecting her to go _Ah yes silly me. Shall we head back and make_ _breakfast?_ but nothing of the like came. "What are you talking about _?"

"It wasn't my intention for you to be sleep walking the way you are," she said almost apologetically. "But I wish to know if this is really what is your heart's desire. If you would look at your hands and feet, Celia."

Celia lowered her gaze at the parts she signaled and was shocked at what she saw. Heavy chains were strapped to both wrists and ankles. The shackles on her hands were the bright color of red and the chain that came from them seemed to have to end. The ones on her ankles were a deep blue and the chains seemed to be coming form the ground itself. The heaviness of them seemed to be weighing her own soul down.

"W-What are these-!"

"It is with what you have lived with since you came to be here. Those are the sins that you committed whil you lived and that you now carry in the afterlife."

Celia's head snapped up at her. "Afterlife? Am I..."

The woman nodded. "You have been for quite sometime now. However here times has forever stopped in the soft summer time. A haven for the souls of the ones that have done wrong and have been done wrong to. Souls like you and myself."

"I-I don't get it, _. So if I'm dead are you too?" The woman nodded in response. "Then if you're here, do you too carry sins?"

She lifted her left hand and showed Celia the shackle that forever chained her to the burnt tree. "I have been here for quite sometime as well. Much longer than you have and it sure has been lonesome. It stunned me when you arrived out of the blue. This place has the power to make you forget and live in blissful peace as payment for the sufferings you went through. Your sins, however, aren't forgotten and you, as barter, you are to wear your sins for as long as you stay here. That was the bargain set."

"Then...have you, too, forgotten all?" Celia asked.

She shook her head slowly. "I had in the beginning just like you however as time passed I began to question the sanctity of this place and its peace. I wondered why I came to be here and I pondered why I would always come here to this tree and gaze at the nonexistent horizon. Finally my sins spoke to me and ever since I have come back here to relieve my sins over and over for the rest of my existence."

"W-Why did you want me to remember then?" Celia asked confused. "Won't I suffer to if I remember?"

"I wanted you to remember in order for you to decide."

"What do you mean?"

"You need to remember," she said and gently brushed away the hair off Celia's face before touching her cheek with her palm. "But it is hard and simple at the same time. You have to remember the most important thing that existed in your life. From there the chain will recconect itself."

"The most important...?" Celia pondered in a mumble. She closed her eyes. In her mind everything was dark but white silhouettes of people began to appear. People that seems to be grains of sand for they came and went and were all the same. However out of the many one seemed to be clearer than the rest. One single person.

_"Yu..."_

The one image cleared and with it did all the others.

A tear escaped her eye as she opened them again in realization. "I was an Exorcist of the Black Order. I was an experiment of my late grandfather anf uncle. I was what they called an Apocryphos. I had a sister, Alice, that's really mad but sad that I'm gone. I have a nephew who's a pain in the ass but I love him to no end. My friends: Janus, Allen, Lenalee, Lavi, Miranda, Marie, Komui, the science division, and everyone from the Order. And Kanda, he's the one I-" She wouldn't let the word escape her lips which is why she pursed them shut.

"The one you love," the woman finished for her.

Celia looked up, "And you're my mother. Cecilia."

Cecilia smiled at her own daughter and cupped her face with both her hands. "Now that you have remembered I must bestow upon you your choices. Now that you have remembered who you are, you most certainly remember your sins."

Celia lifted her red shackles, "I killed a lot of innocent people." Her legs shifted making the presence of the chains undeniable. "I have made so many people sad." She hugged herself for not even the summer breeze could warm the coldness she felt inside of her, "I've done so many mistakes that I can't undo them."

"Yes, my dearest," Cecilia answered in a lukewarm voice. "Those mistakes have no amend. Neither have mine. I was an unruly child. I was an insufferable girl who went against the Order countless of times. And I have killed, just like you have, but only once."

"Who?" Celia asked wanting to know.

"My own children," she said overwhelmed. "Back then I did not want you for I knew the cruel fate you would certainly face. That was why I went to that mission willignly in the hopes that I would lose you both. But instead I lost my life and now I am chained forever to this lifeless tree to show me that what I had taken away was something no one has the right to: the life of my own flesh and blood. No sins have amend but what we can do is live with them the rest of our lives as a reminder of what we have done and what must never be done again."

Celia nodded understanding. She raised her head again letting her mother's hands fall to her lap. "You said...you needed me to remember in order to choose. What will you make me choose?"

"You will be the one choosing, my dear Celia," she said and grabbed her hands making her stand back up. "You can stay here and forget once again. That way you will be in the blissful peace of slumber in the afterlife."

"The way I have been up until now," Celia said.

"Or..." Celia raised her head once more towards her. "You can choose to return to that world from whence you came. You will live as who you were but as another being. You will not be human any longer but a piece of the what you had controlled before."

"You mean I can return with them?" Celia said stunned.

"Both have consequences which are great. Stay here and forget about everything and everyone you knew or leave and live your life anew having to carry these heavy chains along with you for as long as you live that life," Cecilia offered. "That is the choice that I was told to give you."

"Why...?" Celia asked confused. "Why me and me only?"

"Because you, unlike me, died for pure reason at heart," Cecilia answered. "You wanted to protect those who mattered the most in your life but in the moment you died. It's been seen that even though you have done wrong, your heart remains pure and innocent."

"Is that why I was given this choice?" she asked finally and recieved a nod in response. She lowered her head and pondered but it didn't really take a lot of thinking. She raised it and locked her eyes with her mother's, "I want to go back."

She nodded once slowly, "I was hoping you would say that." She lowered her face in a grimace.

"What's the matter?" Celia asked holding tightly to her mother's hands.

"I've been here for so long, having you has been a blessing beyond words," she shook her head and smile wryly. "It will be bitter to see you part so soon."

"Don't worry," Celia said hugging her unexpectedly. "No matter what you and I will always be together. Because just like Alice and I share our hearts because of our special bonds as sisters, you and I will share another special one because we are mother and daughter. That's why we'll never truly be apart and no matter what we'll never truly be alone."

"You speak wisely, my dearest," Cecilia said with a grand smile. "That life has taught you so well is wonderful."

Celia grinned sheepishly, "Yeah. It's taught me a lot of things, that for sure."

Cecilia looked down at her own hands and looked up, "I have delivered the choices for you from Him but now I have my own request that requires for you to choose."

"What is it?" Celia asked. Cecilia extended her hand to one of the branches of the charred tree and from it a small twig emerge that sprouted with small purple berries. They sprouted and flourished in seconds as they fell into her hands. Bringing them down Celia could have sworn she had never seen such delicious-looking berries in her life.

"These are what makes us forget in this place," Cecilia explained. "When the ones who arrive eat them, they begin to forget and soon enough they slumber. This tree was born from what remained of my power of when I was still an Exorcist."

"You had the power...to make people forget?" Celia said amazed.

She plucked the berries into her mouth and gulped them down. Her hands glowed a very distinctive lilac. "I awoke to oblivion and remembered; I ate the berries and forgot again but when you came it all returned to me. Since then I cannot forget again but you have forgotten because of your slumber which means you can forget again."

"Forget...? You mean...everything again? Why?" she asked confused.

"If you return as you are, with your memories intact, then you will return to the battlefield you left blinded and powerless to confront what is to come. You'll be unable to see what is wrong and will not be able to fight it," Cecilia said. "But if you forget it all, if you allow me to rearrage the chains of your memory then you will return with no memory of who you were."

"How's that any better?"

"When we forget the memories of what is not important we begin to remember the memories that sleep deep withing our hearts. Those memories are the ones that, in your case, are needed to fight with a clear view. To fight the dark with the light that slumbers deep in you. And the only way to resurface it will be to forget it all to remember."

"Then you'll be erasing all of it? The memories of my friends, of what I've gone through, of everything?" Celia couldn't imagine going back to that state of not knowing, this time all of her life not just her past.

"In reality no one, not even my powers, can truly erase memories. For you see, memories are like chains in our hearts. When you forget the links of that memory unlatch from the chain and are left out of the chain that continues and recconects. Those links, the forgotten memories, sleep in our hearts until they are reawakened. When they do they once again become part of the chain of memories in each one of us," Cecilia said. "Not only would I be 'erasing' your memory but, so that they don't awaken before you have accomplish your goal, I would also be erasing you from everybody else's."

"You mean...nobody will remember me?"

"No one will remember you and you will not remember them," Cecilia said. "Until you recconect the slumbering links the ones that I have put to sleep will not recconect. The only way that it would be possible for that to happen would for the same thing that happened here to happened out there."

"I would need to reawakened the most important memory to awaken the rest," Celia said understanding.

Cecilia nodded. "Now that you know this, I must hear your decision. Will you return with your memory...or forget?"

Celia lowered her head. This was the hardest decision she had ever made. How could she choose to forget everything she had been looking for and that she lived through? How could she...when it was her life to know?

_"..."_

"Huh?" Celia's head turned beind her. Was that her imagination? She could have sworn she heard someone calling her.

_"..."_

A sudden gust of wind took them by surprise as a door of light opened behind them. Welcoming Celia back as her doorway back to her life.

"I'm sorry to say child but you must choose now," Cecilia whispered.

Celia lowered her head once more. She had given her life to remember and she still had more life to go through now that she was going back. She looked up at her mother with a grinning face; her mind was made.

"I know what I want. Mother, I..."

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><p><strong>Sounds like the end huh? <strong>

**Well it isn't ! Because in this story there's still yet another chapter which I believe will be the final one which is more likely the next. **

**So yes people this story will be coming to an end in the next chapter. Hope you look foward to it and await the surprise for having reached 100 reviews!**

**Please, as always, review :D**


	49. Final Retrace

**Guys I'm so happy and sad at the same time. **

**Sad because this will more than likely be the last chapter in this story T_T Happy, actually ecstatic, because of the great news that I have for you guys at the ending XD So basically I'm kinda bipolar at this moment. Most of the chapter will be wrap up until the very ending. Since I'm not planning on cutting this chapter in two if it grows to long, I'll just keep writing and see where it ends. :D**

**I have so many thanks to give because of the countless of people who've read this story and have kept reading till this point. For now I thank I'm Plotting Something Evil and Jeanny Foster for the reviews on the latest chapter. Not only them but to all my reviewers, story favs and alerts as well. You guys were the reason why I wrote this story in the first place and why I have a little present for you guys in the end. :)**

**Now to what you all have waited for, and some are so sad about, the last chapter of Not :One: of Us.**

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><p><strong>Final Retrace <strong>

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><p>The chest moved violently almost threatening to topple over. The woman, who that by then had enough strength to walk about, sat at the balcony of her parlor, blissfully drinking tea with Khalia and another girl. Although the rays of sunshine brightened their figures the shadows still shrouded the woman's face in darkness.<p>

Taking a sip she placed the cup down, "It seems that Cecilia can't be serene at such times."

"I wouldn't expect much less," the other girl snickered sitting quite rudely on the chair and not drinking tea but eating pastries instead. "Her daugther just died. That's curtsey of Khalia yours truly." The girl was blonde with wavy hair that reached her bare shoulders and piercing blue eyes alike Khalia's. A small blue messenger's hat sat tilted upon her head with a cream colored silk cloth falling to the left of her head. The top was a corset type pearl white blouse with long sleeves that began right at the top of her arms but off her shoulders. A flowing dark blue skirt went down like petals over each other but ended short a few inches before her knees. She wore small white shoes that matched the trimming of her blouse. "By the way, why couldn't I go? I wanted to help kill Kingsy and Janny."

"Would act properly for goodness sake, Neptis? You are more than a disgrace." The deep male voice had come from the inside of the parlor were the remaining four were shrouded into mere silhouettes. This man seemed tall and of middle age by his voice. The silhouette seemed to have longer hair that Khalia's or Neptis'.

"Hmph," Neptis snorted slumping even more down on the chair.

"I agree with Julian, cousin," Khalia said sipping her tea delicately. She had her rapier strapped and always handy at her belt. "You should act more proper in front of our Mistress."

"But she doesn't mind. Right?" Neptis' purr made Khalia shuddered obviously hating that of her relative but their Mistress only gave a deep seductive chuckle.

"That I do not," she said with pleasure.

"Of course she doesn't," a younger male's voice came from the inside. This one was perched up on a dresser hating chairs. The silhouette seemed slender and strong but a lot shorter for the boy's age that his voice gave out. "Neptis is our Mistress numero uno. But just because she was the first Brigaider. Trust me, I would have gotten first chair if it hadn't been for you and your meddlesome cousin."

"Oh shut it, Couga," Neptis said tilting her hat so that it covered her eyes and began to swing her legs over the chair's arm.

"You should learn to shut yours," Couga backfired raising his hand and making it cackle with the fierce thunder that emanated from it.

"Both of you should learn to be respectful in such gathering," another male, younger or the same age as the one called Julian, came to voice his thoughts, tired of the continuous rambbling. "It's not all the time that we get to be with our Mistress."

"I tend to agree with Deon," Julian called making them both calm down.

"Mistress," a soft monotone voice of what seemed to be a small child called to them. Her silhouette was rather short and clang to Deon's coat sleeve for both shadows were connected while holding another being on her free hand. "I ponder about the Second's death."

"What is it you ponder about it, Xele?" their Mistress asked the youngest member of the six.

"It is deem and small but Xele can hear her voice. She has not died," Xele said letting go of Deon's coat and grabbing whatever she held with both hands. "Celia Evernly's soul has not perished."

"Of course it didn't," Khalia answered Xele's question with a sigh. "Mistress still needs the Fate's genes so that she can be cured of the wretched virus in her body. That is why I only destroyed her mortal body and not her soul."

Couga snorted, "It always amused me how you tricked the Paladins into believing that you could cure then."

"Only a fool would believe something like that," Julian said with a resignating sigh. "Progenitor can either be destroyed by Innocence or by adaption as our Mistress has been doing."

"Stupid humans," Xele mumbled into whatever she hold. "They're stupid, don't you think you Jumbles?"

"Stop talking to that freaking plush toy," Neptis scowled out to the little girl. "It freaks me out."

"All of you be quiet," their Mistress ordered to them shutting them up completely. And with their voices gone there was only silence. An out of place silence. "It seems Cecilia has stopped struggling. Wonder what happened?"

"Bitch's dead, who cares?" Neptis said dismissively.

"Neptis is right," Khalia agreed. "Cecilia is dead. So is the body of her daughter. The soul is what we need to find."

"But a soul can wander endlessly in this plane undetected," Deon said trying to figure it out. "Who's to say we're going to find it that easily?"

"Because like all others, that soul was once a human one," Julian answered. "And human's, when they die, tend to become attached to the people they lived with."

"The Order?" Khalia inquired to their Mistress.

"Precisely," she said. "If her soul is indeed free of that realm then it is wandering this earth and is most probably with those Exorcists. Your task is to find it and bring it to me."

"What of Everlott, the younger Evernly and your son?" Deon asked.

"They shouldn't be an issue," their Mistress assured. "After all, without Celia they couldn't possibly find a way out of the hell I have prepared for them."

* * *

><p>Janus stood over a fountain at the bright of dawn splashing his face. Stroking his hair back he looked at his reflection.<p>

"You look much more handsome like that," Kingsley commented coming back with the rations of food they had bought in the early market. He bit down into an apple and talked with his mouth full, "Your, what, eighteen since last month? You should find a more appropriate style. Frankly, you looked like a fourteen-year-old with your hair down."

Janus dug into the water again and slicked his hair back properly leaving small strands fall before his face showing off his bright emerald eyes. "Any news?"

"There seems to be less activity from your mother since the attack on the North American Branch three months ago," Kingsley said tossing an apple his way.

"She's planning something though," he said taking a bite and swallowing it down after a few chews. "She didn't let a God Brigaider out on the lose for nothing."

"Right," Kingsley said contemplating what had occurred but three months ago. "Khalia Sherstone wanted us dead. Beheaded Prometheus though-" he shuddered at the memory of findinf his headless body- "Worse thing to see ever."

"Never seen a dead body?" Janus asked confused that an ex-Exorcist had not seen his share of death in the battlefield.

"Nope, seen plenty of dead bodies. Hundreds, sometimes in the thousands when it was really bad. Never though have I seen such a meticulous and cold kill before. Those God Brigaiders sure are somethin' else."

"Their mother's special assasination squad," Janus said.

"Figured," Kingsley said throwing away the stem of the apple. "Are they even human?"

"I have wondered sometimes myself," Janus countered. "I've known some of them since I reunited with her after escaping but every time their way of thinking brought me to the same question. Never got an answer for it though." He got to the stem annd threw it away as well. He stretched and found that he needed some workout. He turned to see Kingsley, "How's my blood working out for you?"

"Good actually," Kingsley said now gazing at his normal-looking arm that no longer bled endlessly. "Although I'm regretful that it didn't solve everything." He chuckled feeling the right side of his face that was stilled bandaged. His white hair that had not grown since then was neatly placed in a ponytail. "Nevertheless it's a start. It surprised me though that you, out of all of the infected, has sucessfully fused with the Progenitor virus. I guess you are truly what Arthur had in mind when using the virus as a bio-weapon in the war against the Earl."

"I'm a weapon, huh," Janus mumbled getting their luggage and beginning to walk off.

"Well, in a way, all Exorcists and even the Noah are weapons in this inhumane war," Kingsley commented.

_"Weapons, huh?"_ He pondered the thought of that. He himself had thought that many times before when encarceled in the Asian Branch sixth lab.

_"Don't think that!"_ He was surprised to recall something from his past that instant. It was Alice the girl he'd been jailed with back then. _"We're not weapons and we'll prove them wrong by being the best people in the world!"_ It surprised him to remember Alice's words but something rang a bell in his mind. It had been Alice's form but...those weren't Alice's eyes he saw. Could he have been imagening back then.

**"What? You of all people don't remember me? Ah, thanks a lot Janus."**

"What?" Janus halted in his walk while Kingsley passed him babbling stuff by himself. _"Whose voice...? No, I know that voice but I don't know that person, do I?" _He shook his head. _"Her name. What was her name?"_

**"Even that? Goodness gracious Janus. O-kay then, I'll give you a hint. It's starts with a 'C'."**

"Janus?" Kingsley called turning about finally noticing that he was one person short. "What's wrong?"

Janus lowered his face but with a smirk, "Nothing." He turned about looking back at the place they were. "Starts with a 'C'. Right, Ce-lia?"

* * *

><p>"Where are we going Mother?" Asutsuo called to Alice.<p>

Already three months had passed by since she had woken up. She didn't recall much of her imprisonment except that Kingsley and Janus had been the ones to liberate her soul. In the end, after the attack on the North American Branch, alice returned to her body and thus to her boy.

That time they were going towards the Ark's Gate room to head to the Asian Branch. Marcus was too ill to goand asked them to see Zhu Chan for him one last time before he died.

"We're going to visit a friend of your Grandpa's," Alice said to him. "Remember the nice man that forged that rapier you have?"

"This one?" Asutsuo called nudging at the heavy rapier from its place on his back. It had been in his room since his mother awakened. "Even when Clara said it was just in my room from one day to the other, I don't get how it got there. It's even weirder that I can even weild it."

"Don't pout," she said with a chuckle. "You'll be able to soon enough. When you're older."

"Everybody says that things will happen when I'm older but when's that gonna happen Mother?" he asked pouting even more.

"When you are, Asutsuo," she assured him.

"That doesn't really answer my question," Asutsuo called.

"Come along now," Alice said to him. "We must hurry there." A few minutes later they came to be in the Asian Branch and found their way to the room where Zhu laid resting his final hours. Lvellie was there with his new assitant and so was Komui. Behind the veil were Lennie, Fo, and Bak.

"You came after all," Komui said seeing them enter.

"It was Alexander's request," Alice answered holding tight to Asutsuo's hand and pulling him away from Lvellie's way. "We came to pay our respects and say goodbye."

"May I?" Asutsuo asked with the proper manners to Komui.

"Yes you may," he answered.

Alice let go of the boy while she stood there. He brought apart the veil to go in and see the sleeping man. "Asutsuo," Bak said with a sniffle. The boy only appraoched and stood on his tippy toes to look at the old man sleep.

"You're sleeping, right?" he mumbled and because of the quietness it could be clearly heard. "Mother says that you'll be sleeping peacefully soon and that you won't wake up from that sleep. Turthfully, I don't like it that Mother thinks that I don't know what's happening. I know that what's gonna happen to you is what's gonna happen to a lot of people. Most of them sooner than later but it'll happen. And who knows maybe it'll happen to someone like me as well." He turned to get the rapier that hung from his back and into his arms now, "I have been having a dream lately. Someone that I don't know tells me to say thanks. I don't know why but it simply said 'Thank Zhu'. So here I am." He took a deep breath and delivered the message, "Thank you, Zhu Mei Chan. Thank you."

"Asutsuo," Alice whispered for her son. He turned her way, turned back to bow, and trotted up to his mother's side.

"We'll take our leave," Alice said with a soft bow and left the room to let the trio of scientists walk in. Once away far enough, Alice asked her son, "Who were you takling about?"

"I don't know," Asutsuo said frankly. "It's just someone I keep hearing in my dreams. It's such a nice person too. Always makes me happy to hear them for some reason."

"Do you know their name?"

Asutsuo shook his head, "All they tell me is that it starts with a 'C' but... I can't seem to come up with a name." Alice stopped briefly making Asutsuo stop as well. "Is something wrong, Mother?" Alice shook her head but Asutsuo noticed that on her face a bright grand smile.

* * *

><p>"What..." Kanda said with a smile and his usual sardonic tone. "No 'welcome back' for me?"<p>

To Lenalee heading back to the Order with Kanda who had supposedly been dead for three months now was like a dream. Her friend from childhood had come back even after everything that had happened. Something struck at the back of her head when thinking of all the reasons that he could use to not come back. An emptiness broke down on her heart when she couldn't recall what. It was important, she knew that much, but she couldn't quite remember what it was.

All the way there and to the Asian Branch they told him about Allen's escape that had occured shortly after his disappearance.

" 'No matter what I'm an Exorcist' huh?" he repeated after they were done. "Seems like something he would say."

"The Order's been trying it's best to find him, but there's no trace of him," Lenalee said skipping a bit to keep up with Kanda's strides.

"As expected of General Cross' disciple, I suppose you could say," Marie said with a chuckle.

"What happened to the brat?" Kanda asked tilting his head towards them.

"Brat?" Marie asked confused while Lenalee looked at him bewildered.

"The Evernly brat, Celia," Kanda said outright after a sigh. Marie and Lenalee's mind thought the name familiar but something shocked at them making them quickly disregard it.

"Who?" Lenalee voiced her thoughts openmindedly.

"You must be talking about Alice," Marie said disregarding the huge name difference.

"No. I really meant-"

"Alice woke up after we came back," Lenalee said with a smile. "She's been with Asutsuo-kun since then. He doesn't seem that happy but its normal. Since he was born he never accepted any mother figure so he must be having trouble getting used to her."

Kanda completely dumbfounded. Why the hell couldn't they remember Celia? And why would they say that the midget didn't have a mother figure when Celia was all that and more to that kid? He couldn't just toss aside those things. Did something bad happen with Celia? He didn't stay long enough that day but last he saw of her, she had been well and unharmed.

_"I'm glad you left."_ He'd said that in the best of ways although she more than likely thought of it the wrong way. Of course he wouldn't finished that sentence with what he had thought about. _"I'm glad you left...because at least you got away and didn't die."_ He sighed troubled about this huge misunderstanding. Something must've happened to throw them off like that.

Finally they got to Zhu's room. Getting past Komui's glee and badmouthing Lvellie, Kanda walked past the veil to look upon the sleeping Zhu with bak crying at the foot of his bed while Fo and Lennie stood to the side mourning. He approached him only to find him awake holding onto Mugen. Zhu told his part of the story; of how he was the one responsible for putting in motion the whole project of the Second Exorcists that costs so many lives and pain.

Kanda placed a hand over Zhu's and on Mugen and with a wry grin said, "Well...you're also going to hell, then."

Zhu only smiled with tears in his eyes, "That's right!"

Then Kanda called forth for his weapon, "Awake Mugen!" The shone let Mugen free as it became a small cube that floated in his hand. But before Kanda could even let it rest upon his palm, Lenalee rushed in and slapped it away in both her hands. She cried, asking him why he would want to come back to the Order that took away his past and the people he loved. She kept crying out at him because if he did drink the Innocence he would never be able to get away from them even though he'd finally become free.

He opened Lenalee's hands to see the cube liquified, "Ah, it became a liquid now, huh. Do not get angry." And before Lenalee could object, he drank the liquid from the palm of her hand. She blushed heavily while both Komui and Bak got mad about it instead of her. Finally drinking it, and ignoring the shouts of Komui and Bak, he lowered Lenalee's hand. "I'm already free." He began rolling up his sleeves revealing the stigma on his forearm, "This time, genuinely as Kanda Yu... I have decided to become an Exorcist." The Innocence took form from his blood and exited his body, the force of the weapon itself breaking the feeble hairtie he had, as it began to take the form of Mugen once again in its Master's hands. "Mugen, activate." The sword took form finally as he weilded it. His blood, however, did not stop coming out.

He lifted his left forearm confused, "It won't stop."

"What's going on?" Lenalee called confused at the Innocence's actions. Komui pulled her back and stood closer to view what was happening. Not only he but so did Lvellie. Kanda's blood fell heavily to the floor but strangely did not stain it. Instead it was as if the blood that was coming out was making ribbons of itself.

Those thin ribbons of blood slithered a few feet before him before they began to circle about on the floor. They began then to unite to form something and continued they're journey upward.

"What is that...?" Bak hissed startled at what it was doing.

"Is that a...body?" Komui inquired mostly to himself.

By the time it got to the top, blood had stopped and the ribbons finally formed a semi crystalline form of a human body. The scarlet color then began to disappear as it was being sucked into the chest of what it had formed. As it scarlet left, more human colors began to appear on the doll the Innocence had created. The skin was fair and covering the body was a black summer dress trimmed in lilac and her feet were bear. As it began to take color, her hair, that was long to her thighs, changed from the scarlet to a dark, almost black, chocolate brown. Her face smaller because of the hair framing was delicate and the eyes remained closed. Both inner wrists and shins showed the same red stigma as Kanda's forearms. The last of the scarlet color of blood seeped in to her chest leaving the only mark of it ever being there a red diamond-shaped scaron her chest, with the lower half of it covered by her dress, and on top of the tip was a last stigma.

Finally her eyes fluttered open to show a dull yet strong color of amethyst in them. Her expression oblivious at the surroundings it saw.

The sheer image of her there triggered the recconection of remembrance. Lenalee raised her finger to her lip dumbfounded at why she new a name but knew nothing of her. "It's..."

Kanda took a step forth and lifted his left hand towards the girl that had appeared before her and placed it upon her cheek. Warm. She was warm...and alive. "Idiot." She couldn't stop the sudden action that happened for he had quickly pulled her into an embrace. He held her tightly with his left hand on the small of her back and the right, careful with the blade, holding her head. "I might've not gotten it but you'll get it. Welcome back, Celia."

She gently placed her hands on his chest and slowly pushed back enough to look up at him with that same oblivious expression. This made his relief turn rapidly into concern, "Celia? What's the matter...?"

She pushed away slowly from the embrace to be arms length from him. Her head tilted slightly to the side and the words that came out of her small yet full lips were beyond comprehension. And still she had said them.

"Who are you?"

* * *

><p><strong>The heart that had recovered its memories made a choice. <strong>

"Mother, I... want to be useful. I want to be able to help them. And if I have to forget in order for that to happen then...so be it."

Cecilia nodded and placed her hand on her daughter's forehead before kissing it and placing her own against it. "Then so be it, Celia." Her mind began to numb away into a fog. Letting go Celia walked over to the door but not before Cecilia spoke in a whisper, "I hope you realize what you're doing and that the most important memory that will awaken them all is strong enough to do so."

"I'm sure it is," Celia said knowing she'd forget as soon as she went into the door. She turned with a smirk on her grin, "Yu's not that stupid. He's bound to see that even though I'm not Alma, even though I'll never replace that part of his heart, that I can still be a new one that can free him. He's not that much of an idiot at least, he'll figure it out. I trust him because...he made a promise to always protect me. And that dumbass isn't the kind to break his promises." She took a step into the door and all went away.

**It has chosen to lose in order to gain. She has lost all that she looked for and ever loved in order to gain something more but with the hope of regaining what she has lost. **

_**Some say that memories are what create emtions, and therefore create the heart. Losing those memories means walking without emotion, without a heart. But if memories are what compose a heart then no one is ever heartless because people share those memories with one another. So if one comes to forget that does not mean that it has lost its heart for good. That is because the other person who holds those same memories of them two together can create the heart anew. **_

_**And so the chains of memories of her heart that got unlatched will remain so until the final day when they come together again. **_

_Until the day that they **Reconnect** again._

* * *

><p><em><strong>So how was it? <strong>_

_**Yep people this is the end but I have a surprise! Did you read all those bolded letters at the end? The last, last sentence? Well guess what that **recconect** means?**_

_**Yes people this story will be having a sequel! XD XD XD**_

_**You didn't think I was going to leave this like this would ya? Kanda still has to confess to Celia so that they can FINALLY be together! XD Sorry that there wasn't much action about them except for the unintended kiss and some coughgropingcough but the sequel will be more focus on their relationship and her memories reconnecting. **_

_**Well hoped you guys liked it. And i don't have enough space to say how happy I am and thank so many people! So instead of goodbye this is a se you later until the new story and sequel~!. :D**_

_**Sincerely and utmost happy,**_

_**XKey of the AbyssX**_


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